title: Genotype-dependent sex differentiation of dopaminergic neurons in primary cultures of embryonic mouse brain.
abstract: In order to investigate genetic factors that interfere with hormone-mediated sex differentiation of dopaminergic neurons, we raised sex-specific primary cultures from embryonic day 13 diencephalon (D) or mesencephalon (M) of three different strains of mice, NMRI, CBA/J, and BALBc/J. Part of the cultures were maintained for 6 or 13 days in vitro (DIV) in medium containing 17 beta-estradiol or testosterone. The cultures were analyzed for sex differences in numbers of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons, endogenous dopamine (DA) levels, and specific uptake of [3H]DA. Previous results obtained with cultures of embryonic Sprague-Dawley rats had shown that these parameters develop sex-specific characteristics in the absence of sex differences in hormone environment. Similar steroid-independent sex differences as they occur in the rat were found in M cultures of NMRI but not in CBA and BALBc mice. Long-term sex steroid treatment did not affect any of the above parameters in any strain. It is concluded that cell-autonomous realization of the genetic sex of dopaminergic neurons depends on the genetic background.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Anatomie und Zellbiologie, Universität Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sibug
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Küppers
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Maxson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pilgrim
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Reisert
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D014316:Tritium; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014316:Tritium; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine