Fig. 4.

The expression level of cec is significantly increased after mating in the lower part of the common oviduct. (A and B) Digoxigenin-labeled antisense RNA probe for cecA1 hybridized to longitudinal cryosection through the female body (see Fig. S4 for control and schematic): (A) Unmated female. (B) Female mated to WT male at 3 h after mating. Note that cec is transcribed throughout the unmated female oviduct (A), but is strongly up-regulated in the lower part of the common oviduct (CO) at 3 h after mating (B, asterisk). Inset in A and B show high magnification of cec expression in a region of the lower CO marked by asterisk. (Scale bar, 20 μm); n = 15 females for each treatment; (Inset scale bar, 10 μm); UT, uterus; SR, seminal receptacle.