The cell-specific nuclear receptor steroidogenic factor 1 plays multiple roles in reproductive function.
The cytochrome P450 steroid hydroxylases exhibit tissue-specific and developmentally regulated gene expression. Recent studies showed that the orphan nuclear receptor steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) plays a key role in their gene regulation. In mouse embryos, SF-1 expression began at the inception of adrenal and gonadal development, suggesting that SF-1 plays a key role in the steroidogenic cell differentiation. SF-1 was also expressed in the developing pituitary gland and diencephalon, which raised the possibility that it also has additional roles in endocrine development. To examine the role of SF-1 in intact mice, we disrupted the gene encoding SF-1 by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells; this approach ultimately permitted us to generate SF-1 knockout mice in which the gene encoding SF-1 was inactivated. These studies revealed essential roles of SF-1 in endocrine development that included adrenal and gonadal development, expression of several markers of pituitary gonadotropes, and formation of the ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) nucleus. These results indicate that SF-1 acts at multiple levels of the reproductive axis to maintain reproductive competence.
Luo
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X
Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
Ikeda
Y
Y
Parker
K L
KL
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D051717:Fushi Tarazu Transcription Factors; D006066:Gonads / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000502:physiology*; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis; D054339:Steroidogenic Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051717:Fushi Tarazu Transcription Factors; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D054339:Steroidogenic Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; C515058:steroidogenic factor 1, mouse