Studies on the function of H-Y antigen: dissociation and reorganization experiments on rat gonadal tissue.
On circumstantial evidence, H-Y antigen is assumed to be responsible for the differentiation of the undetermined gonadal anlage into a testis. A direct approach to test the function of H-Y antigen is provided by Moscona-type experiments. Applying a modified technique of in vitro reassociation of cell suspensions, we obtained the following results: (1) dissociated newborn rat gonads, both testis and ovary, reorganize into histotypic structures; (2) under exposure to anti-H-Y antiserum, testicular cells reassociate into ovarian follicular-like organization; (3) anti-H-1 antiserum by itself does not prevent the testicular cells from forming tubular structures. It is concluded that H-Y antigen acts as a differentiation between preferably or exclusively on the cell elements participating in the formation of the seminiferous cords.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000941:Antigens; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D005260:Female; D007106:Immune Sera; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D012730:Sex Chromosomes / Q000276:immunology*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000276:immunology*
D000941:Antigens; D003470:Culture Media; D007106:Immune Sera