A substance secreted by rat Sertoli cells induces feminization of embryonic chick testes in vitro.
Male and female gonads from 7- to 9-day-old chick embryos were cultured for 6 days in Sertoli cell-conditioned medium or in serum-free medium to investigate the possible effect of substances secreted by rat Sertoli cells on chick gonad development. Histological analysis showed that whereas all female gonads proceed through normal ovarian development in both culture media, most of male gonads showed clear feminization only when cultured in Sertoli cell-conditioned medium; male gonads cultured in serum-free medium developed as normal testes. Because the only substance detected in our conditioned medium with the potential to cause these effects was sex-specific antigen (Sxs), our results provide further evidence that Sxs antigen may play a role in sexual differentiation in birds, and probably in mammals.
Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Spain.
A
A
Sánchez
R
R
Jiménez
M
M
Burgos
R
R
Díaz de la Guardia
D013734:Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002642:Chick Embryo; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006182:H-Y Antigen / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology*
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D006182:H-Y Antigen