Differentiation of the Fetal Gonad

Voutilainen, Raimo

doi:10.1159/000182601

Cited by 38 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 10 publications

(13 reference statements)

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“…Previous expression/function studies of these genes have used the mouse as a model system, and there are no direct comparator studies available in the human, the exception being the FSH receptor, which has been shown by hormone-binding studies to be present early in human fetal testis develop-FIG. 4. Changes in levels of mRNA encoding Sertoli cell-specific transcripts in the human fetal testis during the second trimester (n ϭ 22).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developmental Changes in Human Fetal Testicular Cell Numbers and Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Levels during the Second Trimester

O'Shaughnessy

Baker

Monteiro

et al. 2007

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &Amp; Metabolism

110

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Context:Normal fetal testis development is essential for masculinization and subsequent adult fertility. The second trimester is a critical period of human testicular development and masculinization, but there is a paucity of reliable developmental data.Objective: The objective of the study was to analyze second-trimester human testicular morphology and function.Design: This was an observational study of second-trimester testis development. Setting:The study was conducted at the Universities of Glasgow and Aberdeen.Patients/Participants: Testes were collected from 57 morphologically normal fetuses of women undergoing elective termination of normally progressing pregnancies (11-19 wk gestation).Main Outcome Measure(s): Testicular morphology, cell numbers, and quantitative expression of 22 key testicular genes were determined.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developmental Changes in Human Fetal Testicular Cell Numbers and Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Levels during the Second Trimester

O'Shaughnessy

Baker

Monteiro

et al. 2007

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &Amp; Metabolism

110

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“…We observed these cells, histologically resembling abnormal T 1 -prespermatogonia and often prone to degeneration, more frequently soon after birth. Because this enhanced release coincides with the spontaneous disappearance of fetal Leydig cells, androgen steroid hormones might be involved in the regulation of early germ cell proliferation and differentiation (Francavilla et al 1990, Voutilainen 1992, Heyn et al 1998.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differentiation markers of Sertoli cells and germ cells in fetal and early postnatal human testis

et al. 2004

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The definition of the temporal sequence of appearance of fetal markers during prenatal and early postnatal development in Sertoli and germ cells may be important for understanding the mechanisms underlying their reexpression in disorders of the adult testis. For this reason, we studied the expression of Sertoli and germ cell markers in 25 human testes spanning a period from 8 gestational weeks to 4 years. Well-characterized antibodies were employed to anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), cytokeratin 18 (CK18), vimentin (VIM), M2A-antigen (M2A), germ cell alkaline phosphatase (GCAP), and somatic angiotensin-converting enzyme (sACE) on formalin-fixed and microwave-pretreated paraffin sections. In Sertoli cells, AMH and VIM were consistently present. While VIM and CK18 were coexpressed in embryonic testes, CK18 was progressively downregulated and completely absent from the 20th gestational week. M2A was absent or moderately expressed in fetal Sertoli cells but increased during further development. In germ cells, M2A was consistently found in primordial germ cells (PGCs) as well as in M- and T1-prespermatogonia. In contrast, sACE and GCAP were absent from PGCs but were a distinct feature of late M- and early T1-prespermatogonia and appeared predominantly between the 18th and the 22nd gestational weeks. Both T2-prespermatogonia and postnatal prespermatogonia were devoid of any marker. While CK18 represents a differentiation marker for fetal Sertoli cells, M2A, GCAP, and sACE can be used as differentiation markers for the discrimination of different germ cell types during human prespermatogenesis. Because various immunophenotypes reflect distinct differentiation stages, this knowledge may be important for understanding adult testicular pathology.

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“…The small number of genes found with higher ovary expression at this timepoint reflects the fact that primary sex differentiation occurs much later in the female (Voutilainen, 1992), and is when the ovary would be expected to be most transcriptionally active. Therefore, analysis of later timepoints will be required to focus on female-specific transcription.…”

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confidence: 94%

Subtractive hybridisation screen identifies sexually dimorphic gene expression in the embryonic mouse gonad

McClive

Hurley

Sarraj

et al. 2003

Genesis

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The sex of most mammals is determined by the action of SRY. Its presence initiates testis formation resulting in male differentiation, its absence results in ovary formation and female differentiation. We have used suppression subtraction hybridisation between 12.0-12.5 days postcoitum (dpc) mouse testes and ovaries to identify genes that potentially lie within the Sry pathway. Normalised urogenital ridge libraries comprising 8,352 clones were differentially screened with subtracted probes. A total of 272 candidate cDNAs were tested for qualitative differential expression and localisation by whole mount in situ hybridisation; germ cell-dependent or -independent expression was further resolved using busulfan. Fifty-four genes were identified that showed higher expression in the testis than the ovary. One novel gene may be a candidate for interactions with WT1, based on its localisation to Sertoli cells and map position (16q24.3).

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Differentiation of the Fetal Gonad

Cited by 38 publications

References 10 publications

Developmental Changes in Human Fetal Testicular Cell Numbers and Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Levels during the Second Trimester

Developmental Changes in Human Fetal Testicular Cell Numbers and Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Levels during the Second Trimester

Differentiation markers of Sertoli cells and germ cells in fetal and early postnatal human testis

Subtractive hybridisation screen identifies sexually dimorphic gene expression in the embryonic mouse gonad

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