title: Expression of SRY transcripts in preimplantation human embryos.
abstract: We have examined the expression of SRY mRNA in individual in vitro fertilized preimplantation human embryos; because of ethical constraints, these studies were confined to embryos with one and three pronuclei. Using a sensitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, we observed SRY mRNA at the one-cell through the blastula stages but not in spermatozoa. These results indicate that the de novo transcription of this sex-specific gene occurs at a developmental time considerably earlier than that of gonadal differentiation. Our results also indicate that in vitro fertilized embryos with one pronucleus are likely to be diploid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiddler
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abdel-Rahman
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Rappolee
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pergament
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger