{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T12:00:05Z","timestamp":1789646405335,"version":"4.0.0"},"reference-count":65,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,3,19]],"date-time":"2017-03-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1489881600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003329","name":"Ministerio de Econom\u00eda y Competitividad","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["AGL2013-43328-P"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["AGL2013-43328-P"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003329","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Some melatonin functions in mammals are exerted through MT1 and MT2 receptors. However, there are no reports of their presence in the reproductive tract of the ram, a seasonal species. Thus, we have investigated their existence in the ram testis, epididymis, accessory glands and ductus deferens. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) revealed higher levels of m-RNA for both receptors in the testis, ampulla, seminal vesicles, and vas deferens, than in the other organs of the reproductive tract (p &lt; 0.05). Western blot analyses showed protein bands compatible with the MT1 in the testis and cauda epididymis, and for the MT2 in the cauda epididymis and deferent duct. Immunohistochemistry analyses revealed the presence of MT1 receptors in spermatogonias, spermatocytes, and spermatids, and MT2 receptors in the newly-formed spermatozoa in the testis, whereas both receptors were located in the epithelial cells of the ampulla, seminal vesicles, and ductus deferens. Indirect immunofluorescence showed significant differences in the immunolocation of both receptors in spermatozoa during their transit in the epididymis. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that melatonin receptors are present in the ram reproductive tract. These results open the way for new studies on the molecular mechanism of melatonin and the biological significance of its receptors.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms18030662","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,3,20]],"date-time":"2017-03-20T11:39:09Z","timestamp":1490009949000},"page":"662","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":51,"title":["Melatonin MT1 and MT2 Receptors in the Ram Reproductive Tract"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Marta","family":"Gonz\u00e1lez-Arto","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo Biolog\u00eda y Fisiolog\u00eda de la Reproducci\u00f3n, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n de Ciencias Ambientales de Arag\u00f3n (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David","family":"Aguilar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo Biolog\u00eda y Fisiolog\u00eda de la Reproducci\u00f3n, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n de Ciencias Ambientales de Arag\u00f3n (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elena","family":"Gaspar-Torrubia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo Biolog\u00eda y Fisiolog\u00eda de la Reproducci\u00f3n, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n de Ciencias Ambientales de Arag\u00f3n (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Margarita","family":"Gallego","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Patolog\u00eda Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Melissa","family":"Carvajal-Serna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Producci\u00f3n Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 11001 Bogot\u00e1, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luis","family":"Herrera-Marcos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Bioqu\u00edmica y Biolog\u00eda Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n Sanitaria de Arag\u00f3n-Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Edith","family":"Serrano-Blesa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo Biolog\u00eda y Fisiolog\u00eda de la Reproducci\u00f3n, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n de Ciencias Ambientales de Arag\u00f3n (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Thais","family":"Hamilton","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dpto. de Reprodu\u00e7\u00e3o Animal, da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, da Universidade de S\u00e3o Paulo, 05508 270 S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rosaura","family":"P\u00e9rez-P\u00e9","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo Biolog\u00eda y Fisiolog\u00eda de la Reproducci\u00f3n, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n de Ciencias Ambientales de Arag\u00f3n (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Teresa","family":"Mui\u00f1o-Blanco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo Biolog\u00eda y Fisiolog\u00eda de la Reproducci\u00f3n, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n de Ciencias Ambientales de Arag\u00f3n (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9842-6197","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9","family":"Cebri\u00e1n-P\u00e9rez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo Biolog\u00eda y Fisiolog\u00eda de la Reproducci\u00f3n, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n de Ciencias Ambientales de Arag\u00f3n (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1997-4262","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adriana","family":"Casao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo Biolog\u00eda y Fisiolog\u00eda de la Reproducci\u00f3n, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n de Ciencias Ambientales de Arag\u00f3n (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,3,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"607","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-185X.2009.00118.x","article-title":"The changing biological roles of melatonin during evolution: From an antioxidant to signals of darkness, sexual selection and fitness","volume":"85","author":"Tan","year":"2010","journal-title":"Biol. 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