title: 60,XY/60,XX chimerism in the germ cell line of mature bulls born in heterosexual twinning.
abstract: According to present knowledge there is a germ cell chimerism (XY/XX) in young bulls born in heterosexual twinning due to exchange of primordial germ cells in embryonic life. These germ cells were believed to have been eliminated in the young bull. Two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) identification of the sex chromosomes by biotinylated and digoxygenin labeled probes have been used. The material consisted of three bulls born in heterosexual twinning. The results obtained indicated that even mature bulls (more than two years old) demonstrate spermatogonial chimerism. Several authors state that the bulls with blood cell chimerism, originating from dizygous twinning, are characterized by decreased fertility. Changes of the sex ratio of offspring due to proliferation of the female cells have also been proposed. The present observations should give a renewed interest in checking the possibility of survival and differentiation of germ cells from the female partner in the germ cell lines.
authors.affiliation: National Research Institute of Animal Production, Department of Immuno- and Cytogenetics, Balice/Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rejduch
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Słota
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gustavsson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics*; D002678:Chimera; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000662:veterinary; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D012730:Sex Chromosomes; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000737:chemistry; D014427:Twins