The zinc finger transcription factor Gata4, is associated with gonadal development in many species. The present study characterizes temporal and spatial localization of Gata4 throughout gonadogenesis in porcine embryos. Immunohistochemical studies illustrated that Gata4 protein is present in the coelomic epithelium prior to histological differentiation of the nascent bipotential gonad, marking ...

The vitamin A (retinol) and its metabolites such as retinoic acid (RA) affect vertebrate gametogenesis. The level of RA in cells relies on the balance between its synthesis and degradation. The sex-dependent equilibrium is reached in different ways in various species. It is known that RA induces meiosis in developing gonads in mouse, chicken and urodel amphibians, but its role in anuran amphibi...

The gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) system in the hypothalamus is often considered the final point in integration of environmental cues as they pertain to the reproductive axis. However, cues such as stress and food availability are detectable in the plasma (as glucocorticoid and metabolic fuel fluctuations). Vertebrate gonads express glucocorticoid receptor, therefore we hypothesized tha...

In birds, the mechanism of sex determination is unknown: it is uncertain whether the female-specific W-chromosome encodes an ovary-determining gene analogous to the mammalian testisdetermining gene, or whether testis determination is dependent on a double dose of a Z-chromosome gene(s) that escapes inactivation. In addition, birds do not carry a homologue to the Sry gene and the identity of the...

BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis (bilharzia) is a parasitic disease of worldwide significance affecting human and animals. As schistosome eggs are responsible for pathogenesis, the understanding of processes controlling gonad development might open new perspectives for intervention. The Src-like tyrosine-kinase SmTK3 of Schistosoma mansoni is expressed in the gonads, and its pharmacological inhibitio...

It was the purpose of these experiments to describe gonadal development and posthatching growth of genetic female chickens and turkeys following in ovo injection of the aromatase inhibitor Fadrazole (CGS 16949A) prior to incubation. In ovo injection of Fadrazole (CGS 16949A) resulted in the development of testes-like gonads in the majority of day-old genetic female chickens and turkey poults. N...

In birds, the mechanism of sex determination is unknown: it is uncertain whether the female-specific W-chromosome encodes an ovary-determining gene analogous to the mammalian testisdetermining gene, or whether testis determination is dependent on a double dose of a Z-chromosome gene(s) that escapes inactivation. In addition, birds do not carry a homologue to the Sry gene and the identity of the...

Over the past 40 years, gonadal sex differentiation in teleost fish has been studied from histological and physiological viewpoints, for its application in fisheries. The morphological characteristics of gonadal sex differentiation in teleost fish were discussed in Section 2, and a summary of sexual processes, such as gonadal sex differentiation and sexual maturation in triploid salmonid fishes...