Determination and stability of sex

How is the embryonic bipotential gonad regulated to produce either an ovary or a testis? In males, transient early activation of the Y chromosome Sry gene makes both germ cells and soma male. However, in females, available evidence suggests that the process of ovary sex determination may take place...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BioEssays 2007-01, Vol.29 (1), p.15-25
Main Authors: Ottolenghi, Chris, Uda, Manuela, Crisponi, Laura, Omari, Shakib, Cao, Antonio, Forabosco, Antonino, Schlessinger, David
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Disorders of Sex Development
Female
Forkhead Box Protein L2
Forkhead Transcription Factors - genetics
Humans
Male
Mice
Models, Genetic
Ovary - embryology
Proto-Oncogene Proteins - genetics
Sex Determination Processes
Sex Differentiation - genetics
Testis - embryology
Wnt Proteins - genetics
Wnt4 Protein
Y Chromosome - genetics
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Summary:How is the embryonic bipotential gonad regulated to produce either an ovary or a testis? In males, transient early activation of the Y chromosome Sry gene makes both germ cells and soma male. However, in females, available evidence suggests that the process of ovary sex determination may take place independently in the germline and somatic lineages. In addition, in contrast to testis, in ovary somatic cells, female‐to‐male gonadal sex reversal can occur at times throughout ovary development and maturation. We suggest that a single gene pathway, likely hinging on the Foxl2 transcription factor, both initiates and maintains sex differentiation in somatic cells of the mammalian ovary. BioEssays 29: 15–25, 2007. Published 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ISSN:0265-9247
1521-1878
DOI:10.1002/bies.20515