Cheuk Lai-Yee. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 153-184). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

by Wen-Liang Zhou. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 125-144). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Leung Pak Heng. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 163-189). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Lun Samantha Wei Man. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-174). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Contents --- p.ii / Acknowledgements --- p.vii / Abstract --- p.viii / 摘要 --- p.xi / Chapter Section 1. --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- General review of the epididymis --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Structure of the epididymis --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Function of the epididymis --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Regulation of the epididymal function --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2 --- Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- VEGF peptides --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Biological activities of VEGF --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Hormonal regulation of VEGF --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3 --- VEGF receptors --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Flt-1 or VEGFR1 --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Flk-1 or VEGFR2 --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4 --- Caveolae --- p.15 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Overview of caveolae --- p.15 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Caveolins/caveolin-1 --- p.16 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Caveolae and VEGF --- p.18 / Chapter 1.4.4 --- Caveolae and the epididymis --- p.20 / Chapter 1.5 --- VEGF/ VEGF receptors in the epididymis --- p.20 / Chapter 1.6 --- Aims of study --- p.22 / Chapter Section 2. --- Materials and Methods / Chapter 2.1 --- Materials --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2 --- Animal surgery --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Animals --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Castration and hemi-castration --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Efferent duct ligation (EDL) --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Tissue collection --- p.37 / Chapter 2.3 --- Epididymal cell culture --- p.38 / Chapter 2.4 --- Sample preparation --- p.40 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Collection of epididymal plasma and sperm --- p.40 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Purification of caveolae fraction --- p.41 / Chapter 2.5 --- Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and semi-quantitative RT-PCR --- p.43 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Preparation of RNA from epididymal tissues --- p.43 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Quantitation of total RNA --- p.44 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Reverse transcription (RT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) --- p.44 / Chapter 2.5.4 --- Purification and authenticity confirmation of PCR products --- p.50 / Chapter 2.6 --- Western immunoblotting --- p.53 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Preparation of protein --- p.53 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- SDS-PAGE --- p.53 / Chapter 2.6.3 --- Western immunoblotting --- p.55 / Chapter 2.7 --- Immunohistochemistry --- p.56 / Chapter 2.7.1 --- Preparation of tissue sections --- p.56 / Chapter 2.7.2 --- Immunohistochemical staining of tissue sections --- p.57 / Chapter 2.7.3 --- Immunostaining of cultured cells --- p.59 / Chapter 2.8 --- Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) --- p.59 / Chapter 2.9 --- Statistical analyses --- p.60 / Chapter Section 3. --- Results / Chapter 3.1 --- Expression and localization of VEGF in the rat epididymis --- p.62 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- RT-PCR of VEGF in the rat epididymis --- p.62 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Western immunoblot of VEGF in the rat epididymis --- p.63 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Developmental changes in VEGF expression in the rat epididymis --- p.66 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Immunolocalization of VEGF in the rat epididymis --- p.66 / Chapter 3.1.5 --- Summary of the localization and expression of VEGF in the rat epididymis --- p.72 / Chapter 3.2 --- Expression and localization of VEGF receptors in the rat epididymis --- p.74 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- RT-PCR of Flt-1 and sFlt-1 in the rat epididymis --- p.74 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Western immunoblot of Flt-1 in the rat epididymis --- p.74 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Immunolocalization of Flt-1 in the rat epididymis --- p.75 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- RT-PCR of Flk-1 in the rat epididymis --- p.75 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Western immunoblot of Flk-1 in the rat epididymis --- p.79 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Immunolocalization of Flk-1 in the rat epididymis --- p.79 / Chapter 3.2.7 --- Summary on the localization and expression of VEGF receptors in the rat epididymis --- p.83 / Chapter 3.3 --- Detection of VEGF immunoreactivity in epididymal plasma and sperm lysate collected from cauda epididymidis --- p.83 / Chapter 3.4 --- Effect of castration on VEGF and VEGF receptor expression in the rat epididymis --- p.84 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Effect of castration with or without testosterone replacement on VEGF expression in the rat epididymis --- p.84 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Effect of castration with or without testosterone replacement on Flt-1 expression in the rat epididymis --- p.94 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Effect of castration with or without testosterone replacement on Flk-1 expression in the rat epididymis --- p.98 / Chapter 3.5 --- Effect of efferent duct ligation and hemicastration on VEGF peptide levels in the rat epididymis --- p.102 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Effect of efferent duct ligation on VEGF expression in the rat epididymis --- p.102 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Effect of hemi-castration on VEGF expression in the rat epididymis --- p.106 / Chapter 3.6 --- "Summary on the effects of castration, efferent duct ligation, and hemicastration on the epididymal weight, and VEGF/VEGF receptor expression in the rat epididymis" --- p.107 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- "Summary on the effects of castration, efferent duct ligation and hemicastration on the epididymal weight" --- p.107 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- "Summary on the effects of castration, efferent duct ligation and hemicastration on VEGF and VEGF receptor expression in the rat epididymis" --- p.112 / Chapter 3.7 --- Localization and expression of caveolin-1 and 226}0ؤ2 in the rat epididymis --- p.113 / Chapter 3.7.1 --- RT-PCR of caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 in the rat epididymis --- p.113 / Chapter 3.7.2 --- Western immunoblot of caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 in the rat epididymis --- p.114 / Chapter 3.7.3 --- Immunolocalization of caveolin-1 in the rat epididymis --- p.117 / Chapter 3.7.4 --- Summary on the localization and expression of caveolin-1 and -2 in the rat epididymis --- p.119 / Chapter 3.8 --- Co-localization of VEGF receptors with caveolae in the rat epididymis --- p.119 / Chapter Section 4. --- Discussion --- p.124 / Chapter 4.1 --- VEGF expression and localization --- p.124 / Chapter 4.2 --- VEGF receptors expression and localization --- p.129 / Chapter 4.3 --- Possible VEGF action in the rat epididymis --- p.133 / Chapter 4.4 --- Regulation of VEGF and its receptor expression by androgen and/or other testicular factors --- p.136 / References