A Mechanism for Virilization of Female Spotted Hyenas in Utero

Female spotted hyenas exhibit male-like genitalia and dominance over males. Hyena ovarian tissues incubated in vitro produced large quantities of the steroid hormone precursor androstenedione. The activity of aromatase, which converts androstenedione to estrogen, was one-twentieth as great in hyena...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1993-06, Vol.260 (5116), p.1929-1931
Main Authors: Yalcinkaya, Tamer M., Siiteri, Pentti K., Vigne, Jean-Louis, Licht, Paul, Pavgi, Sushama, Frank, Laurence G., Glickman, Stephen E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases - metabolism
Animals
Aromatase - metabolism
Biological and medical sciences
Carnivora - embryology
Carnivora - metabolism
Corpus Luteum - metabolism
Estradiol - biosynthesis
Estrogens
Female
Fetus
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genitalia
Hormone metabolism and regulation
Humans
Hyenas
In Vitro Techniques
Luteinizing Hormone - pharmacology
Male
Ovaries
Ovary - metabolism
Placenta
Placenta - enzymology
Placenta - metabolism
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Pregnancy
Pregnancy. Parturition. Lactation
Progesterone - biosynthesis
Sex determination (Diagnosis)
Sex determination, Diagnostic
Sex Differentiation
Steroids
Testosterone - biosynthesis
Vertebrates: reproduction
Virilism
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Female spotted hyenas exhibit male-like genitalia and dominance over males. Hyena ovarian tissues incubated in vitro produced large quantities of the steroid hormone precursor androstenedione. The activity of aromatase, which converts androstenedione to estrogen, was one-twentieth as great in hyena versus human placental homogenates. In comparison, the activity of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, which converts androstenedione to testosterone, was equal in the two homogenates. The limited aromatase activity may allow the hyena placenta to convert high circulating concentrations of androstenedione to testosterone, which results in virilization of the fetal external genitalia and possibly destruction of fetal ovarian follicles. Androstenedione production by residual ovarian stromal cells during reproductive life accounts for the epigenetic transmission of virilization in female spotted hyenas.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.8391165