A cell-specific nuclear receptor plays essential roles in adrenal and gonadal development.
Recent analyses of the cytochrome P450 steroid hydroxylases have established a key role for an orphan nuclear receptor, designated steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1), in their coordinate, cell-selective expression. SF-1 was proposed to regulate the steroid hydroxylases by interacting with shared promoter elements in their 5'-flanking regions. During mouse embryonic development, SF-1 was expressed from the earliest stages of organogenesis of the steroidogenic tissues, suggesting a key role in steroidogenic cell differentiation. Finally, disruption of the gene encoding SF-1 revealed its essential function in the development of the adrenal glands and gonads and in pituitary gonadotrope function. These studies suggest that SF-1 acts at multiple levels of the reproductive axis to maintain reproductive competence.
Luo
X
X
Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Ikeda
Y
Y
Lala
D S
DS
Baity
L A
LA
Meade
J C
JC
Parker
K L
KL
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000196:embryology*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D051717:Fushi Tarazu Transcription Factors; D017344:Genes, Insect; D006066:Gonads / Q000196:embryology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D054339:Steroidogenic Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051717:Fushi Tarazu Transcription Factors; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D054339:Steroidogenic Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; C497169:ftz protein, Drosophila; C499712:nuclear hormone receptor FTZ-F1, Drosophila; C515058:steroidogenic factor 1, mouse