title: Steroidogenic organ development and homeostasis: A WT1-centric view.
abstract: Adrenal and gonads are the main steroidogenic organs and are central to regulate body homeostasis in the vertebrate organism. Although adrenals and gonads are physically separated in the adult organism, both organs share a common developmental origin, the adrenogonadal primordium. One of the key genes involved in the development of both organs is the Wilms' tumor suppressor WT1, which encodes a zinc finger protein that has fascinated the scientific community for more than two decades. This review will provide an overview of the processes leading to the development of these unique organs with a particular focus on the multiple functions WT1 serves during adrenogonadal development. In addition, we will highlight some recent findings and open questions on how maintenance of steroidogenic organs is achieved in the adult organism.
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust - Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bandiera
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology Valrose, Université de Nice-Sophia, F-06108 Nice, France; Inserm, UMR1091, F-06108, France; CNRS, UMR7277, F-06108, France.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology Valrose, Université de Nice-Sophia, F-06108 Nice, France; Inserm, UMR1091, F-06108, France; CNRS, UMR7277, F-06108, France.
authors.forename: Valerie P I
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology Valrose, Université de Nice-Sophia, F-06108 Nice, France; Inserm, UMR1091, F-06108, France; CNRS, UMR7277, F-06108, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chaboissier
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology Valrose, Université de Nice-Sophia, F-06108 Nice, France; Inserm, UMR1091, F-06108, France; CNRS, UMR7277, F-06108, France. Electronic address: schedl@unice.fr.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schedl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006066:Gonads / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D038081:Organogenesis; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D025721:WT1 Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D025721:WT1 Proteins
keywords: Adrenal development; Gonadal development; Progenitor cells; Steroidogenic differentiation; WT1; β-Catenin