title: N- and E-cadherin expression in human ovarian and urogenital duct development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate expression of N- and E-cadherin in the developing human ovary.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of N- and E-cadherin was analyzed in 18 human fetal ovaries between 8 and 20 weeks' gestation using immunohistochemistry. Fetal human male and rat urogenital tracts were used for comparison of expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic research institute.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women undergoing termination of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunofluorescent analysis of cadherin expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In fetal ovary, N- and E-cadherins were expressed at all gestations with overlapping but not identical patterns. Expression was associated with germ cells and adjacent somatic cells, including within newly formed primordial follicles, but neither cadherin was expressed in the somatic cell cords. The epithelia of the müllerian and wolffian ducts expressed only N- and E-cadherin, respectively, in a mutually exclusive fashion. This pattern of cadherin expression was found to be conserved between human and rat fetuses of both genders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The demonstration of N- and E-cadherin expression in the human fetal ovary indicates likely roles in gonadal development from germ cell proliferation to primordial follicle formation, as well as in the development of the urogenital ducts of both genders. This is consistent with animal studies identifying cadherins as key regulators of early germ cell development.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit, Centre for Reproductive Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland.
authors.forename: Sarah R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fulton
authors.forename: Craig S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Welsh
authors.forename: Rosey A L
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bayne
authors.forename: Shiona M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Coutts
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Childs
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Anderson