DEAR EDITOR,Sex differentiation is a complex process that requires many factors to regulate gonadal proliferation, differentiation,development, and organization. In teleosts, the molecular mechanisms of sex differenti...DEAR EDITOR,Sex differentiation is a complex process that requires many factors to regulate gonadal proliferation, differentiation,development, and organization. In teleosts, the molecular mechanisms of sex differentiation are diverse and unclear.展开更多
The brain plays a critical role in controlling reproduction through the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal(HPG)axis in vertebrates.Turbot(Scophthalmus maximus)has become an economically important marine fish in Europe and...The brain plays a critical role in controlling reproduction through the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal(HPG)axis in vertebrates.Turbot(Scophthalmus maximus)has become an economically important marine fish in Europe and North China.Previous research investigating turbot reproduction has focused on the role of the HPG axis in regulating egg and sperm production.However,the morphology and histology of the organs in the HPG axis have not been studied.In this study,we investigated the morphology and histology of brains in female and male turbot at different stages of gonadal development.The results showed that the brains of both female and male turbot were composed of seven parts that are typical of advanced teleosts:the telencephalon,diencephalon,cerebellum,hypothalamus,pituitary gland,myelencephalon,and olfactory bulbs.The telencephalon was well-developed and contained five distinct lobes,with the contiguous diencephalon at the caudal portion.The torus longitudinales and rostral torus semicircularis of the mesencephalon flattened along the dorsal surface,and the rostral corpus cerebellum was located in the dorsal portion.The actual total brain volume in mature males was significantly greater(p<0.05)than that of females with gonadal development.Notably,the pituitary volume in male turbot significantly increased(p<0.05)from immature to mature stage,but this difference did not occur in females.The data together illustrate a distinct sex difference in the turbot brain during gonadal development,providing insight into their HPG axes.展开更多
The P-element induced wimpy testis(Piwi)proteins,which are associated with PIWI-interacting RNAs(piRNAs),play important roles in meiosis,germ cell division,and germline maintenance.In this study,we identified and char...The P-element induced wimpy testis(Piwi)proteins,which are associated with PIWI-interacting RNAs(piRNAs),play important roles in meiosis,germ cell division,and germline maintenance.In this study,we identified and characterized the Paralichthys olivaceus piwil2 gene,a constituent factor of the piRNA pathways involved in the biogenesis of reproductive development.The biological analysis indicated that piwil2,which contains PAZ and PIWI domains,was highly conserved between teleosts and tetrapods.The piwil2 distribution profile in different tissues confirmed a sexually dimorphic expression pattern,with a higher expression level in testis.In situ hybridization demonstrated that piwil2 was expressed in the oogonia and oocytes of the ovaries as well as in the Sertoli cells and spermatocytes of the testes.Gene piwil2 showed a maternally inherited expression pattern during embryonic development,and was highly expressed during the early embryonic development.Different luciferase reporters were constructed to determine the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of piwil2.The piwil2 core promoter region was located at−360 bp to−60 bp.Furthermore,some representative sex hormones,including human chorionic gonadotropin,17α-methyltestosterone,and estradiol-17βhad distinct regulatory effects on piwil2.In a summery,these results indicate that piwil2,regulated by sex hormones and transcriptional elements,has vital functions in the reproductive cycle and gonadal development.展开更多
Without known analogous sex-determining factors like SRY(sex determining region Y)in mammals,the chicken(Gallus gallus)sex determination mechanism still remains unclear,which highly restricts the biological research o...Without known analogous sex-determining factors like SRY(sex determining region Y)in mammals,the chicken(Gallus gallus)sex determination mechanism still remains unclear,which highly restricts the biological research on chicken development and poultry single-sex reproduction.Here we not only characterized a new female-biased gene UBE2I and identified the expression pattern by qRT-PCR,but also described the functional role of UBE2I in the gonadal development of chicken embryos.Results showed that UBE2I exhibited a female-biased expression pattern in the early stage of PGCs(primordial germ cells)in embryonic gonads and robust expression in ovaries of newborn chickens.Most importantly,we successfully developed an effective method to interfere or overexpress UBE2I in chicken embryos through the intravascular injection.The qRT-PCR analysis showed that the sex-related genes(FOXL2,CYP19A1 and HINTW)in females were upregulated(P<0.05)under the overexpression of UBE2I and the sex-related genes(SOX9,DMRT1 and WT1)in females were downregulated(P<0.05)after interfering UBE2I.Furthermore,the change of UBE2I expression was associated with the level of estradiol and its receptors(AR and ESR),which suggests that UBE2I is necessary to initiate the female-specific development in chickens.In conclusion,this work demonstrates that UBE2I is a crucial sex differentiation-related gene in the embryonic development of chickens,which provides insights for further understanding the mechanism of sex determination in chickens.展开更多
Microstructure and submicrostructure of Leydig cell and Sertoli cell in the testis of gonadal precocity and immaturation in cultured large yellow croaker, Pseudosciaena crocea, are studied using histology and electron...Microstructure and submicrostructure of Leydig cell and Sertoli cell in the testis of gonadal precocity and immaturation in cultured large yellow croaker, Pseudosciaena crocea, are studied using histology and electron microscopic technique. The results indicate that the fine structure of the two kinds of cells in different development stages presents an obvious difference. The smooth endoplasmic reticular and tubular mitochondria of Leydig cell and Sertoli cell are well developed in the testis of gonadal precocity, but poorly developed in the testis of immaturation. We suggest that the reason for gonadal precocity in the large yellow croaker may be related to the earlier development and maturation of Leydig cell and Sertoli cell.展开更多
BACKGROUND Turner syndrome(TS)has a variety of different karyotypes,with a wide range of phenotypic features,but the specific karyotype may not always predict the phenotype.TS with Y chromosome mosaicism may have mixe...BACKGROUND Turner syndrome(TS)has a variety of different karyotypes,with a wide range of phenotypic features,but the specific karyotype may not always predict the phenotype.TS with Y chromosome mosaicism may have mixed gonadal dysgenesis,and the mosaicism is related to the potential for gonadoblastoma.CASE SUMMARY In this case report,we report two cases of TS with different karyotypes and gonadal dysgenesis.Patient 1 had obvious virilization,and was positive for the SRY gene,but her karyotype in peripheral blood lymphocytes was 45X.Patient 2 had a mosaic karyotype,45X/46X,dic(Y:Y)(p11.3:p11.2),and the proportion of Y-bearing cells was 50%in peripheral blood lymphocytes,but the patient had normal female external genitalia and streaky gonads,with no genital virilism.Different tissues in the same TS individual may exhibit different ratios of mosaicism.The gonadal determination and differentiation of mosaic TS are primarily dependent on the predominant cell line in the gonads.CONCLUSION In TS patients with virilization,it is necessary to test at least two to three tissues to search for cryptic Y material.展开更多
<strong>Background:</strong> We report a rare case of congenital bilateral testicular agenesis who presented with a suicide attempt. We pose the question of testosterone therapy could improve his mental he...<strong>Background:</strong> We report a rare case of congenital bilateral testicular agenesis who presented with a suicide attempt. We pose the question of testosterone therapy could improve his mental health. <strong>Case Report: </strong>A 36-year-old man was admitted to a psychiatric ward after the suicide attempt. An endocrinology consult is requested to address if hormone replacement therapy could improve his depression and future suicide attempts. His past medical history is significant for gonadal agenesis, testicular implants placement at age 16, bipolar type 1 diagnosed 2 years ago before the presentation. The patient received testosterone replacement treatment at age 13 - 15 years. Since that time, he has not been placed on any testosterone therapy. Physical exam revealed minimal axillary and pubic hair, testicular implants with a microphallus. Laboratory values reflect hypergonadotropic hypogonadism consistent with testicular agenesis. He was suicidal and testosterone treatment was deferred. <strong>Discussion:</strong> It is a rare case of congenital testicular agenesis with bipolar disorder which was resistant to therapy. The patient had profound hypogonadism, which needed testosterone replacement therapy. However, the therapy was deferred because of an acute psychotic condition. This case also highlights that there is no strong evidence of the effect of hormonal therapy on mental health in this group.展开更多
The present study was conducted on some aspects of histology and morphology of gonadal development and spermatogenesis of the striped piggy fish,Pomadasys stridens from the Arabian Sea near Karachi coast.A preliminary...The present study was conducted on some aspects of histology and morphology of gonadal development and spermatogenesis of the striped piggy fish,Pomadasys stridens from the Arabian Sea near Karachi coast.A preliminary investigative study was carried on genetic-variability,morpho-histological characters to observe the differences between both gonads of both the sexes along with the size of the associated fat bodies.Both the gonads were investigated and classified in seven different stages of maturity.Testes were found asymmetrical in measurement with the right testis larger than the left one.It was found that meiotic activity and spermatid development showed the opposite relationship.The left testis showed a relatively greater activity than the right one.展开更多
Background: Long-standing varicocele is often associated with testicular hypoxia and that might worsen Leydig cell function, a significant risk factor for hypogonadism. This may affect both the secretory and endocrine...Background: Long-standing varicocele is often associated with testicular hypoxia and that might worsen Leydig cell function, a significant risk factor for hypogonadism. This may affect both the secretory and endocrine functions of the testis. This study aims to determine the effect of microsurgical sub-inguinal varicocelectomy on gonadal function among men reporting sexual dysfunction in Ghana. Methods: This was an intervention study conducted at the Tamale Teaching Hospital from September 2017 to August 2021. A total of 103 participants were randomized into two groups;the surgery group (n = 52) and the observed group (n = 51). Venous blood samples were collected at baseline, varicocelectomy was performed for the surgery group, and no intervention was given to the other. Blood samples were subsequently collected at 12-, 24-, 36-, and 48-month intervals for assay of serum total testosterone, FSH, and LH. The data were analyzed in GraphPad Prism (v8.0) at an alpha value of 0.05. Results: All the participants had varicocele and were aged between 55.0 to 69.0 years old. At the baseline of the study, all participants presented with sexual dysfunction but a significant improvement (p Conclusions: Microsurgical sub-inguinal varicocelectomy improved gonadal function among varicocele patients reporting sexual dysfunction. It is recommended to use this choice for similar patients;however, these findings should be verified by a multi-institutional study to provide more evidence for this choice.展开更多
Background:As a ubiquitous reversible epigenetic RNA modification,N6-methyladenosine(m6A)plays crucial regulatory roles in multiple biological pathways.However,its functional mechanisms in sex determination and differ...Background:As a ubiquitous reversible epigenetic RNA modification,N6-methyladenosine(m6A)plays crucial regulatory roles in multiple biological pathways.However,its functional mechanisms in sex determination and differentiation during gonadal development of chicken embryos are not clear.Therefore,we established a transcriptome-wide m6A map in the female and male chicken left gonads of embryonic day 7(E7)by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing(MeRIP-seq)to offer insight into the landscape of m6A methylation and investigate the post-transcriptional modification underlying gonadal differentiation.Results:The chicken embryonic gonadal transcriptome was extensively methylated.We found 15,191 and 16,111 m6A peaks in the female and male left gonads,respectively,which were mainly enriched in the coding sequence(CDS)and stop codon.Among these m6A peaks,we identified that 1013 and 751 were hypermethylated in females and males,respectively.These differential peaks covered 281 and 327 genes,such as BMP2,SMAD2,SOX9 and CYP19A1,which were primarily associated with development,morphogenesis and sex differentiation by functional enrichment.Further analysis revealed that the m6A methylation level was positively correlated with gene expression abundance.Furthermore,we found that YTHDC2 could regulate the expression of sex-related genes,especially HEMGN and SOX9,in male mesonephros/gonad mingle cells,which was verified by in vitro experiments,suggesting a regulatory role of m6A methylation in chicken gonad differentiation.Conclusions:This work provided a comprehensive m6A methylation profile of chicken embryonic gonads and revealed YTHDC2 as a key regulator responsible for sex differentiation.Our results contribute to a better understanding of epigenetic factors involved in chicken sex determination and differentiation and to promoting the future development of sex manipulation in poultry industry.展开更多
In 2019,preterm births(PTB)accounted for approximately 0.66 million deaths globally.PTB is also associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality and long-term complications for newborns.Long-term studies assoc...In 2019,preterm births(PTB)accounted for approximately 0.66 million deaths globally.PTB is also associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality and long-term complications for newborns.Long-term studies associated several factors,including disruption of immune tolerance and inflammation,with PTB.However,the pathogenesis of PTB remains unclear.Gonadal steroid hormones are critical for pregnancy maintenance and regulation of immune and inflammatory responses.However,it is not clear how unbalanced gonadal steroid hormones,such as imbalanced estrogen/androgen or estrogen/progesterone contribute to PTB.In this review,we discuss how gonadal steroid hormones mediate dysfunction in immune tolerance and inflammatory responses,which are known to promote the occurrence of PTB,and provide insight into PTB prediction.展开更多
This study analyzed the tissue indices,proximate composition,fatty acid and amino acid composition of edible tissues of male E.sinensis under three feeding modes(formulated diets(FD),natural diets(ND),and traditional ...This study analyzed the tissue indices,proximate composition,fatty acid and amino acid composition of edible tissues of male E.sinensis under three feeding modes(formulated diets(FD),natural diets(ND),and traditional diets(TD)).The results showed that different feeding modes had no impacts on the overall gonadal development,as no significant difference was found in gonadsomatic index among three treatments.For edible yield,three modes all had similar levels of the meat yield,hepatosomatic index,and total edible yield.Although different feeding modes did not affect the individual edible yield and gonadal development,significant differences were detected in the nutritional composition of males from three modes.For proximate composition,significant differences were found in the total lipids of gonads and the carbohydrate of hepatopancreas and meat.For fatty acids,crabs from ND had a higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids.In gonads and hepatopancreas,FD had a higher proportion of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.For amino acids,FD had higher amino acid contents,while ND had the lowest.Except tryptophan,the essential amino acids scores of the meat were all greater than 100.As there was no significant difference on meat quality and meat yields between three feeding modes,this study suggests that the formulated diet could replace the natural diet and traditional diet towards sustainable crab farming in future.展开更多
Dear Editor,Sex in mammals is genetically determined and defined at the cellular level by the sex chromosome constitution(XY males and XX females)and at the phenotypic level by the development of genderspecific anatom...Dear Editor,Sex in mammals is genetically determined and defined at the cellular level by the sex chromosome constitution(XY males and XX females)and at the phenotypic level by the development of genderspecific anatomy,physiology,and behavior.146,XY complete gonadal dysgenesis(46,XY CGD),first reported by Swyer in 1955,^2 is a rare congenital condition with completely or partially disordered gonadal development,leading to discordance between the genetic,gonadal,and phenotypic sex.Affected patients have a 46,XY karyotype,a female phenotype,normal female external genitalia,and CGD("streak gonads")without sperm production and follicular or steroid function.展开更多
Vast stretches of open water bodies are gradually becoming hypoxic as a result of depletion of oxygen levels mainly due to various human anthropogenic activities.This problem of hypoxic stress on the fish population i...Vast stretches of open water bodies are gradually becoming hypoxic as a result of depletion of oxygen levels mainly due to various human anthropogenic activities.This problem of hypoxic stress on the fish population is likely to be exacerbated soon since the aquatic hypoxic environment is continuously spreading over vast areas worldwide.In recent years,various harmful effects of hypoxia to bony fishes have been reported,such as the restriction of energy-consuming metabolic processes,arrest of the growth of ovary and testes that are associated with endocrine disruption,loss of sperm and egg quality,inhibition of fertilization,hatching success,and also the reduction of larval survivability,thereby impairment of overall reproductive and developmental processes in fish.Disruption of the brain-pituitary-gonad axis,and certain enzymes related to steroidogenesis and vitellogenesis in fish have also been reported as the primary targets for an endocrine malfunction during hypoxia.Hypoxia-sensitive downregulation of key genes responsible for controlling sex hormones’synthesis has been documented in certain bony fishes.Further,continuous exposure to hypoxia was reported to induce early expression of pro-apoptotic/tumor suppressor p53 genes,thereby causing immense cell death in hypoxic embryos.However,the cellular responses to long-term hypoxia exposure and the degree of reproductive impairments in bony fishes are still not adequate to figure out the actual underlying mechanisms.The present review intends to highlight the current knowledge about the detrimental impact of chronic/acute hypoxia at different stages of fish reproduction and the associated underlying molecular mechanisms.展开更多
This review explores tissue engineering as a potential solution for reproductive health issues in women caused by genetic or acquired diseases,such as premature ovarian failure or oophorectomy.The loss of ovarian func...This review explores tissue engineering as a potential solution for reproductive health issues in women caused by genetic or acquired diseases,such as premature ovarian failure or oophorectomy.The loss of ovarian function can lead to infertility,osteoporosis,and cardiovascular disease.Hormone replacement therapy is a common treatment,but it has limitations and risks.The review focuses on two main approaches in tissue engineering:scaffold-based(3D printing,electrospinning,decellularization)and scaffold-free(stem cell transplantation,organoid cultivation).Both approaches show promise in preclinical studies for creating functional ovarian tissue.Challenges include vascularization,innervation,long-term function,and safety.Despite these challenges,tissue engineering offers a potential avenue for restoring fertility and hormone balance in women with ovarian dysfunction.展开更多
Protogynous groupers,belonging to the subfamily Epinephelinae,are among the most crucial fishery targets in the Asian countries.Currently,several grouper species are cultured,providing seed for the aquaculture industr...Protogynous groupers,belonging to the subfamily Epinephelinae,are among the most crucial fishery targets in the Asian countries.Currently,several grouper species are cultured,providing seed for the aquaculture industry.However,cultivation grouper larvae are unstable.Thus,the improvement of aquaculture technology of grouper production is needed.Appropriate managing the reproduction and sex of the target parent fish is vital to enhance the efficiency of aquaculture.This paper reviews new technologies for induction of gonadal maturation and control of sex in groupers.The dynamics of androgen-producing cells,which are essential for a sex change,are also discussed.展开更多
The Yangtze River and its branches are important habitats for the Japanese Eel(Anguilla japonica),however,there are few data on gonadal development and silvering indices of eels during the downstream spawning migratio...The Yangtze River and its branches are important habitats for the Japanese Eel(Anguilla japonica),however,there are few data on gonadal development and silvering indices of eels during the downstream spawning migration.This study investigates gonadal development in 121 Japanese eels caught downstream from the Jingjiang Reach of the Yangtze River in October 2012.We found that in females the ovaries of most of the out-migrating population developed earlier than the testes in males,that is,the ovaries reached stage 3(F3)or early stage 4(eF4),while the testes were at stage 2(M2)or stage 3(M3).Gonadal development in eels collected in 2012 was earlier than that of samples caught from the same region in 2007e2008 and from the Pearl River Estuary in 1972e1973.The average age,body size and gonadal-somatic index of females were significantly greater than those in males.For both females and males,there were no significant differences between the two stages of gonadal development in any of the morphological indices,which indicates that gonadal development of the Japanese Eel is independent of body size.These results help us to understand the spawning population of Japanese Eels in the Yangtze River.展开更多
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous, persistent and lipophilic environmental endocrine disrupters that can be biomagnified in human and animals including birds and thus to affect reproductive functions. Po...Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous, persistent and lipophilic environmental endocrine disrupters that can be biomagnified in human and animals including birds and thus to affect reproductive functions. Poultry meat and eggs contain a great deal of fat and possibly concentrate higher PCBs and other environmental contaminants such as dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT). In order to identify the adverse effects of PCBs and possible sexual difference on chicken gonadal development, Aroclor 1254 was injected into fertilized Hyline chicken eggs before incubation. Four groups of eggs received yolk injection of either peanut oil as control, 1, 10 or 100 μg/egg of Aroclor 1254 as treatment group, respectively. After hatching the gonads were removed for histological examination. Testicular structure was apparently changed and exhibited dramatic decrease in area of the transverse sections (1μg/egg, P【 0.01; 10 and 100 μg/egg, P【0.001), diameter (10 and 100 μg/egg, P 【0.05) and relative area of展开更多
Gonadal somatic cells are the main players in gonad development and are important for sex determination and germ cell development.Here,using a time-series single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq)strategy,we analyzed feta...Gonadal somatic cells are the main players in gonad development and are important for sex determination and germ cell development.Here,using a time-series single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq)strategy,we analyzed fetal germ cells(FGCs)and gonadal somatic cells in human embryos and fetuses.Clustering analysis of testes and ovaries revealed several novel cell subsets,including POU5F1^(+)SPARC^(+)FGCs and KRT19^(+) somatic cells.Furthermore,our data indicated that the bone morphogenetic protein(BMP)signaling pathway plays cell type-specific and developmental stage-specific roles in testis development and promotes the gonocyte-to-spermatogonium transition(GST)in late-stage testicular mitotic arrest FGCs.Intriguingly,testosterone synthesis function transitioned from fetal Sertoli cells to adult Leydig cells in a stepwise manner.In our study,potential interactions between gonadal somatic cells were systematically explored and we identified cell type-specific developmental defects in both FGCs and gonadal somatic cells in a Turner syndrome embryo(45,XO).Our work provides a blueprint of the complex yet highly ordered development of and the interactions among human FGCs and gonadal somatic cells.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (2018YFD0900203)National Natural Science Foundation of China (32273132, 32202928)+4 种基金China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA (CARS-47)Project of Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center (YSPTZX202122)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central UniversitiesSun Yat-sen University (22qntd2614)Science and Technology Program of Guangdong Provincial(2020A1515011477)。
文摘DEAR EDITOR,Sex differentiation is a complex process that requires many factors to regulate gonadal proliferation, differentiation,development, and organization. In teleosts, the molecular mechanisms of sex differentiation are diverse and unclear.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 31802319,31972784,31802269the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province under contract No.ZR2018BC053+1 种基金the Agricultural Application Technology Innovation Project of Shandong Province under contract No.SD2019YY006the Advanced Talents Foundation of Qingdao Agricultural University under contract Nos 6631119055,6631119032.
文摘The brain plays a critical role in controlling reproduction through the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal(HPG)axis in vertebrates.Turbot(Scophthalmus maximus)has become an economically important marine fish in Europe and North China.Previous research investigating turbot reproduction has focused on the role of the HPG axis in regulating egg and sperm production.However,the morphology and histology of the organs in the HPG axis have not been studied.In this study,we investigated the morphology and histology of brains in female and male turbot at different stages of gonadal development.The results showed that the brains of both female and male turbot were composed of seven parts that are typical of advanced teleosts:the telencephalon,diencephalon,cerebellum,hypothalamus,pituitary gland,myelencephalon,and olfactory bulbs.The telencephalon was well-developed and contained five distinct lobes,with the contiguous diencephalon at the caudal portion.The torus longitudinales and rostral torus semicircularis of the mesencephalon flattened along the dorsal surface,and the rostral corpus cerebellum was located in the dorsal portion.The actual total brain volume in mature males was significantly greater(p<0.05)than that of females with gonadal development.Notably,the pituitary volume in male turbot significantly increased(p<0.05)from immature to mature stage,but this difference did not occur in females.The data together illustrate a distinct sex difference in the turbot brain during gonadal development,providing insight into their HPG axes.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31672646)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(No.ZR 2017MC072).
文摘The P-element induced wimpy testis(Piwi)proteins,which are associated with PIWI-interacting RNAs(piRNAs),play important roles in meiosis,germ cell division,and germline maintenance.In this study,we identified and characterized the Paralichthys olivaceus piwil2 gene,a constituent factor of the piRNA pathways involved in the biogenesis of reproductive development.The biological analysis indicated that piwil2,which contains PAZ and PIWI domains,was highly conserved between teleosts and tetrapods.The piwil2 distribution profile in different tissues confirmed a sexually dimorphic expression pattern,with a higher expression level in testis.In situ hybridization demonstrated that piwil2 was expressed in the oogonia and oocytes of the ovaries as well as in the Sertoli cells and spermatocytes of the testes.Gene piwil2 showed a maternally inherited expression pattern during embryonic development,and was highly expressed during the early embryonic development.Different luciferase reporters were constructed to determine the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of piwil2.The piwil2 core promoter region was located at−360 bp to−60 bp.Furthermore,some representative sex hormones,including human chorionic gonadotropin,17α-methyltestosterone,and estradiol-17βhad distinct regulatory effects on piwil2.In a summery,these results indicate that piwil2,regulated by sex hormones and transcriptional elements,has vital functions in the reproductive cycle and gonadal development.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31772582 and 31972547)the National Key R&D Program of China(2017YFE0108000)+2 种基金the High Level Talents Support Program of Yangzhou University,Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province,China(KYCX182376)the Jiangsu Science and Technology Project,China(Youth Fund,BK20180918)the Natural Science Research Project of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions,China(18KJB230008)。
文摘Without known analogous sex-determining factors like SRY(sex determining region Y)in mammals,the chicken(Gallus gallus)sex determination mechanism still remains unclear,which highly restricts the biological research on chicken development and poultry single-sex reproduction.Here we not only characterized a new female-biased gene UBE2I and identified the expression pattern by qRT-PCR,but also described the functional role of UBE2I in the gonadal development of chicken embryos.Results showed that UBE2I exhibited a female-biased expression pattern in the early stage of PGCs(primordial germ cells)in embryonic gonads and robust expression in ovaries of newborn chickens.Most importantly,we successfully developed an effective method to interfere or overexpress UBE2I in chicken embryos through the intravascular injection.The qRT-PCR analysis showed that the sex-related genes(FOXL2,CYP19A1 and HINTW)in females were upregulated(P<0.05)under the overexpression of UBE2I and the sex-related genes(SOX9,DMRT1 and WT1)in females were downregulated(P<0.05)after interfering UBE2I.Furthermore,the change of UBE2I expression was associated with the level of estradiol and its receptors(AR and ESR),which suggests that UBE2I is necessary to initiate the female-specific development in chickens.In conclusion,this work demonstrates that UBE2I is a crucial sex differentiation-related gene in the embryonic development of chickens,which provides insights for further understanding the mechanism of sex determination in chickens.
基金This work is supported by the National 863 Project(819-02-012).
文摘Microstructure and submicrostructure of Leydig cell and Sertoli cell in the testis of gonadal precocity and immaturation in cultured large yellow croaker, Pseudosciaena crocea, are studied using histology and electron microscopic technique. The results indicate that the fine structure of the two kinds of cells in different development stages presents an obvious difference. The smooth endoplasmic reticular and tubular mitochondria of Leydig cell and Sertoli cell are well developed in the testis of gonadal precocity, but poorly developed in the testis of immaturation. We suggest that the reason for gonadal precocity in the large yellow croaker may be related to the earlier development and maturation of Leydig cell and Sertoli cell.
文摘BACKGROUND Turner syndrome(TS)has a variety of different karyotypes,with a wide range of phenotypic features,but the specific karyotype may not always predict the phenotype.TS with Y chromosome mosaicism may have mixed gonadal dysgenesis,and the mosaicism is related to the potential for gonadoblastoma.CASE SUMMARY In this case report,we report two cases of TS with different karyotypes and gonadal dysgenesis.Patient 1 had obvious virilization,and was positive for the SRY gene,but her karyotype in peripheral blood lymphocytes was 45X.Patient 2 had a mosaic karyotype,45X/46X,dic(Y:Y)(p11.3:p11.2),and the proportion of Y-bearing cells was 50%in peripheral blood lymphocytes,but the patient had normal female external genitalia and streaky gonads,with no genital virilism.Different tissues in the same TS individual may exhibit different ratios of mosaicism.The gonadal determination and differentiation of mosaic TS are primarily dependent on the predominant cell line in the gonads.CONCLUSION In TS patients with virilization,it is necessary to test at least two to three tissues to search for cryptic Y material.
文摘<strong>Background:</strong> We report a rare case of congenital bilateral testicular agenesis who presented with a suicide attempt. We pose the question of testosterone therapy could improve his mental health. <strong>Case Report: </strong>A 36-year-old man was admitted to a psychiatric ward after the suicide attempt. An endocrinology consult is requested to address if hormone replacement therapy could improve his depression and future suicide attempts. His past medical history is significant for gonadal agenesis, testicular implants placement at age 16, bipolar type 1 diagnosed 2 years ago before the presentation. The patient received testosterone replacement treatment at age 13 - 15 years. Since that time, he has not been placed on any testosterone therapy. Physical exam revealed minimal axillary and pubic hair, testicular implants with a microphallus. Laboratory values reflect hypergonadotropic hypogonadism consistent with testicular agenesis. He was suicidal and testosterone treatment was deferred. <strong>Discussion:</strong> It is a rare case of congenital testicular agenesis with bipolar disorder which was resistant to therapy. The patient had profound hypogonadism, which needed testosterone replacement therapy. However, the therapy was deferred because of an acute psychotic condition. This case also highlights that there is no strong evidence of the effect of hormonal therapy on mental health in this group.
文摘The present study was conducted on some aspects of histology and morphology of gonadal development and spermatogenesis of the striped piggy fish,Pomadasys stridens from the Arabian Sea near Karachi coast.A preliminary investigative study was carried on genetic-variability,morpho-histological characters to observe the differences between both gonads of both the sexes along with the size of the associated fat bodies.Both the gonads were investigated and classified in seven different stages of maturity.Testes were found asymmetrical in measurement with the right testis larger than the left one.It was found that meiotic activity and spermatid development showed the opposite relationship.The left testis showed a relatively greater activity than the right one.
文摘Background: Long-standing varicocele is often associated with testicular hypoxia and that might worsen Leydig cell function, a significant risk factor for hypogonadism. This may affect both the secretory and endocrine functions of the testis. This study aims to determine the effect of microsurgical sub-inguinal varicocelectomy on gonadal function among men reporting sexual dysfunction in Ghana. Methods: This was an intervention study conducted at the Tamale Teaching Hospital from September 2017 to August 2021. A total of 103 participants were randomized into two groups;the surgery group (n = 52) and the observed group (n = 51). Venous blood samples were collected at baseline, varicocelectomy was performed for the surgery group, and no intervention was given to the other. Blood samples were subsequently collected at 12-, 24-, 36-, and 48-month intervals for assay of serum total testosterone, FSH, and LH. The data were analyzed in GraphPad Prism (v8.0) at an alpha value of 0.05. Results: All the participants had varicocele and were aged between 55.0 to 69.0 years old. At the baseline of the study, all participants presented with sexual dysfunction but a significant improvement (p Conclusions: Microsurgical sub-inguinal varicocelectomy improved gonadal function among varicocele patients reporting sexual dysfunction. It is recommended to use this choice for similar patients;however, these findings should be verified by a multi-institutional study to provide more evidence for this choice.
基金funded in part by grants from China Agricultural Research System(CARS-40).
文摘Background:As a ubiquitous reversible epigenetic RNA modification,N6-methyladenosine(m6A)plays crucial regulatory roles in multiple biological pathways.However,its functional mechanisms in sex determination and differentiation during gonadal development of chicken embryos are not clear.Therefore,we established a transcriptome-wide m6A map in the female and male chicken left gonads of embryonic day 7(E7)by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing(MeRIP-seq)to offer insight into the landscape of m6A methylation and investigate the post-transcriptional modification underlying gonadal differentiation.Results:The chicken embryonic gonadal transcriptome was extensively methylated.We found 15,191 and 16,111 m6A peaks in the female and male left gonads,respectively,which were mainly enriched in the coding sequence(CDS)and stop codon.Among these m6A peaks,we identified that 1013 and 751 were hypermethylated in females and males,respectively.These differential peaks covered 281 and 327 genes,such as BMP2,SMAD2,SOX9 and CYP19A1,which were primarily associated with development,morphogenesis and sex differentiation by functional enrichment.Further analysis revealed that the m6A methylation level was positively correlated with gene expression abundance.Furthermore,we found that YTHDC2 could regulate the expression of sex-related genes,especially HEMGN and SOX9,in male mesonephros/gonad mingle cells,which was verified by in vitro experiments,suggesting a regulatory role of m6A methylation in chicken gonad differentiation.Conclusions:This work provided a comprehensive m6A methylation profile of chicken embryonic gonads and revealed YTHDC2 as a key regulator responsible for sex differentiation.Our results contribute to a better understanding of epigenetic factors involved in chicken sex determination and differentiation and to promoting the future development of sex manipulation in poultry industry.
基金This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(82001579)Tianjin Health Science and Technology Project(TJWJ2021QN053)+1 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin(22JCYBJC01110)as well as Open Fund of Tianjin Central Hospital of Gynecology Obstetrics/Tianjin Key Laboratory of human development and reproductive regulation(2022XH10 and 2022XHY03).
文摘In 2019,preterm births(PTB)accounted for approximately 0.66 million deaths globally.PTB is also associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality and long-term complications for newborns.Long-term studies associated several factors,including disruption of immune tolerance and inflammation,with PTB.However,the pathogenesis of PTB remains unclear.Gonadal steroid hormones are critical for pregnancy maintenance and regulation of immune and inflammatory responses.However,it is not clear how unbalanced gonadal steroid hormones,such as imbalanced estrogen/androgen or estrogen/progesterone contribute to PTB.In this review,we discuss how gonadal steroid hormones mediate dysfunction in immune tolerance and inflammatory responses,which are known to promote the occurrence of PTB,and provide insight into PTB prediction.
基金This study was funded by a general project(No.31572630)from the Natural Science Foundation of Chinathe Special Fund(CARS-48)of Chinese Agriculture Research System-48 from Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs of China+3 种基金a standard development project(No.125C0701)for mitten crab quality and classification from Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs of ChinaInfrastructure costs were supported by the construction and improvement project(No.A1-2801-18-1003)for high level university in Shanghai from Shanghai Education CommissionShanghai talents development fund for the young scientists(No.2018100)from Shanghai Municipal Human ResourcesSocial Security Bureau and the innovation and extension project(No.Y2017-4)of Science and technology from Jiangsu ocean and Fisheries Bureau.
文摘This study analyzed the tissue indices,proximate composition,fatty acid and amino acid composition of edible tissues of male E.sinensis under three feeding modes(formulated diets(FD),natural diets(ND),and traditional diets(TD)).The results showed that different feeding modes had no impacts on the overall gonadal development,as no significant difference was found in gonadsomatic index among three treatments.For edible yield,three modes all had similar levels of the meat yield,hepatosomatic index,and total edible yield.Although different feeding modes did not affect the individual edible yield and gonadal development,significant differences were detected in the nutritional composition of males from three modes.For proximate composition,significant differences were found in the total lipids of gonads and the carbohydrate of hepatopancreas and meat.For fatty acids,crabs from ND had a higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids.In gonads and hepatopancreas,FD had a higher proportion of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.For amino acids,FD had higher amino acid contents,while ND had the lowest.Except tryptophan,the essential amino acids scores of the meat were all greater than 100.As there was no significant difference on meat quality and meat yields between three feeding modes,this study suggests that the formulated diet could replace the natural diet and traditional diet towards sustainable crab farming in future.
基金This work is supported by the National Key Research and Development Program(Grand No.2017YFC1002003)the National High-tech Research and Development Program(863)of China(Grand No.2015AA020404)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grand No.81771637,81571488)the Frontier Technology Project of Shanghai(Grand No.SHDC12015122)
文摘Dear Editor,Sex in mammals is genetically determined and defined at the cellular level by the sex chromosome constitution(XY males and XX females)and at the phenotypic level by the development of genderspecific anatomy,physiology,and behavior.146,XY complete gonadal dysgenesis(46,XY CGD),first reported by Swyer in 1955,^2 is a rare congenital condition with completely or partially disordered gonadal development,leading to discordance between the genetic,gonadal,and phenotypic sex.Affected patients have a 46,XY karyotype,a female phenotype,normal female external genitalia,and CGD("streak gonads")without sperm production and follicular or steroid function.
基金the Science and Engineering Research Board,New Delhi(CRG/2021/005588).
文摘Vast stretches of open water bodies are gradually becoming hypoxic as a result of depletion of oxygen levels mainly due to various human anthropogenic activities.This problem of hypoxic stress on the fish population is likely to be exacerbated soon since the aquatic hypoxic environment is continuously spreading over vast areas worldwide.In recent years,various harmful effects of hypoxia to bony fishes have been reported,such as the restriction of energy-consuming metabolic processes,arrest of the growth of ovary and testes that are associated with endocrine disruption,loss of sperm and egg quality,inhibition of fertilization,hatching success,and also the reduction of larval survivability,thereby impairment of overall reproductive and developmental processes in fish.Disruption of the brain-pituitary-gonad axis,and certain enzymes related to steroidogenesis and vitellogenesis in fish have also been reported as the primary targets for an endocrine malfunction during hypoxia.Hypoxia-sensitive downregulation of key genes responsible for controlling sex hormones’synthesis has been documented in certain bony fishes.Further,continuous exposure to hypoxia was reported to induce early expression of pro-apoptotic/tumor suppressor p53 genes,thereby causing immense cell death in hypoxic embryos.However,the cellular responses to long-term hypoxia exposure and the degree of reproductive impairments in bony fishes are still not adequate to figure out the actual underlying mechanisms.The present review intends to highlight the current knowledge about the detrimental impact of chronic/acute hypoxia at different stages of fish reproduction and the associated underlying molecular mechanisms.
文摘This review explores tissue engineering as a potential solution for reproductive health issues in women caused by genetic or acquired diseases,such as premature ovarian failure or oophorectomy.The loss of ovarian function can lead to infertility,osteoporosis,and cardiovascular disease.Hormone replacement therapy is a common treatment,but it has limitations and risks.The review focuses on two main approaches in tissue engineering:scaffold-based(3D printing,electrospinning,decellularization)and scaffold-free(stem cell transplantation,organoid cultivation).Both approaches show promise in preclinical studies for creating functional ovarian tissue.Challenges include vascularization,innervation,long-term function,and safety.Despite these challenges,tissue engineering offers a potential avenue for restoring fertility and hormone balance in women with ovarian dysfunction.
基金JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers J18H02281,16K07873,19K06229.I express special thanks to grouper research member(Prof.Masaru Nakamura[Okinawa Churashima Foundation],Dr.Ryo Nozu[Kumamoto Univ.]and Dr.Ryosuke Murata[Nagasaki Univ.])for their kind assistance and useful advice.
文摘Protogynous groupers,belonging to the subfamily Epinephelinae,are among the most crucial fishery targets in the Asian countries.Currently,several grouper species are cultured,providing seed for the aquaculture industry.However,cultivation grouper larvae are unstable.Thus,the improvement of aquaculture technology of grouper production is needed.Appropriate managing the reproduction and sex of the target parent fish is vital to enhance the efficiency of aquaculture.This paper reviews new technologies for induction of gonadal maturation and control of sex in groupers.The dynamics of androgen-producing cells,which are essential for a sex change,are also discussed.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31201995)the Shanghai Municipal Agricultural Commission(No.20132-2)+1 种基金the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission of Chongming(No.13231203504)the Open Foundation of Engineering Research Centre of Modern Industrial Technology for Eels,Ministry of Education,China(No.RE201501).
文摘The Yangtze River and its branches are important habitats for the Japanese Eel(Anguilla japonica),however,there are few data on gonadal development and silvering indices of eels during the downstream spawning migration.This study investigates gonadal development in 121 Japanese eels caught downstream from the Jingjiang Reach of the Yangtze River in October 2012.We found that in females the ovaries of most of the out-migrating population developed earlier than the testes in males,that is,the ovaries reached stage 3(F3)or early stage 4(eF4),while the testes were at stage 2(M2)or stage 3(M3).Gonadal development in eels collected in 2012 was earlier than that of samples caught from the same region in 2007e2008 and from the Pearl River Estuary in 1972e1973.The average age,body size and gonadal-somatic index of females were significantly greater than those in males.For both females and males,there were no significant differences between the two stages of gonadal development in any of the morphological indices,which indicates that gonadal development of the Japanese Eel is independent of body size.These results help us to understand the spawning population of Japanese Eels in the Yangtze River.
基金This work was supported by the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. 6992019) the National Natural Sci- ence Foundation of China (Grant No. 39970535).
文摘Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous, persistent and lipophilic environmental endocrine disrupters that can be biomagnified in human and animals including birds and thus to affect reproductive functions. Poultry meat and eggs contain a great deal of fat and possibly concentrate higher PCBs and other environmental contaminants such as dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT). In order to identify the adverse effects of PCBs and possible sexual difference on chicken gonadal development, Aroclor 1254 was injected into fertilized Hyline chicken eggs before incubation. Four groups of eggs received yolk injection of either peanut oil as control, 1, 10 or 100 μg/egg of Aroclor 1254 as treatment group, respectively. After hatching the gonads were removed for histological examination. Testicular structure was apparently changed and exhibited dramatic decrease in area of the transverse sections (1μg/egg, P【 0.01; 10 and 100 μg/egg, P【0.001), diameter (10 and 100 μg/egg, P 【0.05) and relative area of
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2018YFA0107601).
文摘Gonadal somatic cells are the main players in gonad development and are important for sex determination and germ cell development.Here,using a time-series single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq)strategy,we analyzed fetal germ cells(FGCs)and gonadal somatic cells in human embryos and fetuses.Clustering analysis of testes and ovaries revealed several novel cell subsets,including POU5F1^(+)SPARC^(+)FGCs and KRT19^(+) somatic cells.Furthermore,our data indicated that the bone morphogenetic protein(BMP)signaling pathway plays cell type-specific and developmental stage-specific roles in testis development and promotes the gonocyte-to-spermatogonium transition(GST)in late-stage testicular mitotic arrest FGCs.Intriguingly,testosterone synthesis function transitioned from fetal Sertoli cells to adult Leydig cells in a stepwise manner.In our study,potential interactions between gonadal somatic cells were systematically explored and we identified cell type-specific developmental defects in both FGCs and gonadal somatic cells in a Turner syndrome embryo(45,XO).Our work provides a blueprint of the complex yet highly ordered development of and the interactions among human FGCs and gonadal somatic cells.
