Sex differences in the location of immunochemically defined cell populations in the mouse preoptic area/anterior hypothalamus.
The preoptic area/anterior hypothalamus (POA/AH) is sexually dimorphic in many vertebrates. We have defined specific cell populations within the POA/AH using immunocytochemical markers for estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) and the R1 subunit of the GABA(B) receptor (GABA(B)R1). Our previous finding of sex differences in cell migration in this region in embryonic day 15 mice led us to examine sex differences in the location or size of chemically identified cell groups. At embryonic day 17 (E17), cells containing immunoreactive (ir) ERbeta in females were located more dorsal and lateral than those in males. In contrast to this positional sex difference seen at E17, ERbeta expression at P0 and adulthood showed a sex difference in cell number and area of immunoreactivity with a higher expression of ERbeta in males than females. Furthermore, in animals that were genetically deprived of gonadal and adrenal hormones by virtue of a disrupted gene coding for steroidogenic factor 1, cells containing ir ERbeta followed a female phenotype for location at E17 and a female phenotype for number of ir cells at P0 regardless of genetic sex, suggesting that circulating hormones may be influencing cell position in the POA/AH. A second phenotypically identified cell group containing ir GABA(B)R1 also had a sex difference in cell positions at E17. Females expressed GABA(B)R1 in cells with a more dorsal position than in males. These results provide support for the suggestion that sex differences in cellular organization in the developing hypothalamus arise from sex differences in cell migration.
Wolfe
Cory A
CA
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 1680 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Van Doren
Margaret
M
Walker
Heather J
HJ
Seney
Marianne L
ML
McClellan
Kristy M
KM
Tobet
Stuart A
SA
D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D007025:Anterior Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D002452:Cell Count; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000172:deficiency; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D018080:Receptors, GABA-B / Q000378:metabolism; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D054339:Steroidogenic Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000172:deficiency
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D018080:Receptors, GABA-B; D054339:Steroidogenic Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; C515058:steroidogenic factor 1, mouse