title: The Y chromosome and primary sexual differentiation.
abstract: The mammalian Y chromosome plays a dominant role in initiating fetal testicular differentiation. Testicular differentiating genes on the Y chromosome can be serologically detected as H-Y antigen. The correlation of numerical and structural abnormalities of the X and Y chromosomes, combined with H-Y antigen reactivity, gonadal histology, and phenotype, has contributed to mapping the locus of these genes on the Y chromosome and has elucidated some of the mechanisms responsible for anomalous primary sexual differentiation. The causes for failure of gonadal differentiation despite the presence of a Y chromosome or for testicular differentiation in the absence of a detectable Y are discussed. Evidence is presented for genes on the X chromosome that regulate the activity of testicular differentiating genes on the Y chromosome.
mesh_terms: D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000235:genetics; D006182:H-Y Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012730:Sex Chromosomes / Q000502:physiology*; D012733:Sex Differentiation; D013737:Testis / Q000196:embryology*; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006182:H-Y Antigen