Cell reorganization in vitro of heterosexual gonadal cocultures.
Male and female gonadal cells of newborn rats were cocultured in varying proportions. As low a proportion as 20% of male cells essentially yielded tubular structures. At lower quotas of testicular cells, however, only follicular structures occurred. Mixed structures were not observed except one experiment (20% male cells). When ovarian cells were cocultivated with male nongonadal cells, no conversion occurred. It is assumed that H-Y antigen secreted by male gonadal cells is bound by the ovarian receptor sites and induces conversion into tubular structures. H-Y antigen integrated into the cell membrane of nongonadal male cells does not seem to be able to exert this morphogenetic effect.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D009024:Morphogenesis; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology*