Fetal Development of Male and Female Genital Tract, Mouse

  • K.-U. Thiedemann
Chapter
Part of the Monographs on Pathology of Laboratory Animals book series (LABORATORY)

Abstract

In mammals the sex of an individual is established during fertilization of the oocyte. Yet, during fetal development an indifferent anlage of the genital tract is formed initially. Later on male and female sex organs are differentiated from the organ primordia present in this indifferent stage. In the present chapter we will first briefly review the sequence of events occurring during determination of mammalian sex. The main focus, however, will be on the dichotomy of development of the male and female genital tract from the indifferent anlage. These considerations will be supplemented by a discussion of the genetic mutants “testicular feminization” (Tfm) and “sex reversal” (Sxr) in which sexual development deviates from normal.

Keywords

Genital Tract Wolffian Duct Dorsal Wall Mullerian Duct Fetal Testis 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Attardi B, Ohno S (1974) Cytosol androgen receptor from kidney of normal and testicular feminized (Tfm) mice. Cell 2: 205–212PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Bok G, Drews U (1983) The role of the Wolffian ducts in the formation of the sinus vagina: an organ culture study. J Embryol Exp Morphol 73: 275–295PubMedGoogle Scholar
  3. Brewer NL (1963) Sex differentiation of the fetal mouse in vitro. Doctoral dissertation. University of ChicagoGoogle Scholar
  4. Cattanach BM, Pollard CE, Hawkes SG (1971) Sex reversed mice: XX and XO males. Cytogenet Cell Genet 10:318–337CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Cunha GE (1975) The dual origin of vaginal epithelium. Am J Anat 143: 387–392PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Döhler KD, Hancke JL, Srivastava SS, Hofmann C, Shryne JE, Gorski RA (1984) Participation of estrogens in female sexual differentiation of the brain: neuroanatomical, neuroendocrine and behavioral evidence. Prog Brain Res 61:99–117PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Drews U (1975) Direct and mediated effects of testosterone: the development of intersexes in sex reversed mosaic mice, heterozygous for testicular feminization. Anat Embryol (Berl) 146: 325–340CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Drews U (1978) Cell interactions in the sex organs of sex reversed mice heterozygous for testicular feminization. Basic Life Sci 12:183–193PubMedGoogle Scholar
  9. Drews U, Dieterich HJ (1978) Cell death in the mosaic epididymis of sex reversed mice, heterozygous for testicular feminization. Anat Embryol (Berl) 152:193–203CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Drews U, Drews U (1975) Metabolic cooperation between Tfm and wild-type cells in mosaic mice after induction of DNA synthesis. Cell 6:475–479CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Drews U, Drews U (1977) Regression of mouse mammary gland anlagen in recombinants of Tfm and wild-type tissues: testosterone acts via the mesenchyme. Cell 10: 401–404PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Dyche WJ (1979) A comparative study of the differentiation and involution of the müllerian duct and wolffian duct in the male and female fetal mouse: J Morphol 162: 175–209PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Evans EP, Burtenshaw MD, Cattanach BM (1982) Meitoic crossing-over between the X and Y chromosomes of male mice carrying the sex-reversing (Sxr) factor. Nature 300:443–445PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Forsberg JG (1963) Derivation and differentiation of the vaginal epithelium. Ohlssons, LundGoogle Scholar
  15. Forsberg JG (1973) Cervicovaginal epithelium: its origin and development. Am J Obstet Gynecol 115:1025–1043PubMedGoogle Scholar
  16. Gehring U, Tomkins GM (1974) Characterization of a hormone receptor defect in the androgen-insensitive mutant. Cell 3: 59–64PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Gruenwald P (1941) The relation of the growing Müllerian duct to the Wolffian duct and its importance for the genesis of malformations. Anat Rec 81:1–19CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Hall K (1936) The structure and development of the urethral sinus in the male white mouse, with notes on its occurrence in other rodents. J Anat 70:413–429PubMedGoogle Scholar
  19. Hannappel E, Drews U (1981) Stimulation of growth by testosterone via the mesenchyme. Recombination of tissues from Tfm and wild-type preputial gland anlagen of mouse embryo. Cell Tissue Res 221: 321–332PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Hart DB (1901) A contribution to the morphology of the human urogenital tract. J Anat 35:330–375Google Scholar
  21. Josso N (1981) Differentiation of the genital tract. In: Austin CR, Edwards RG (eds) Mechanisms of sex differentiation in animals and man. Academic, New York, pp 165–203Google Scholar
  22. Jost A (1971) Embryonic sexual differentiation: morphology, physiology, abnormalities. In: Jones HW Jr, Scott W (eds) Hermaphroditism, genital anomalies and related endocrine disorders, 2nd edn. Williams and Wilkins, BaltimoreGoogle Scholar
  23. Juillard MT (1972) Ultrastmcture de l’épithélium vaginal de la souris au cours de sa différenciation. Arch Anat Microsc Morhpol Exp 61: 33–46Google Scholar
  24. Koff AK (1933) Development of the vagina in the human fetus. Carnegie Inst Washington Contrib Embryol 24: 59–90Google Scholar
  25. Kratochwil K, Schwartz P (1976) Tissue interaction in androgen response of embryonic mammary rudiment of mouse: identification of target tissue of testosterone. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 73: 4041–4044PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Lyon MF (1961) Gene action in the X-chromosome of the mouse (Mus musculus L.). Nature 190: 372–373PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. Lyon MF, Hawkes SG (1970) X-linked gene for testicular feminization in the mouse. Nature 227:1217–1219PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. MacLusky NJ, Naftolin F (1981) Sexual differentiation of the central nervous system. Science 211:1294–1303PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  29. Mauch RB, Thiedemann KU, Drews U (1985) The vagina is formed by downgrowth of Wolffian and Müllerian ducts. Graphical reconstmctions from normal and Tfm mouse embryos. Anat Embryol (Berl) 172: 75–87CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. McLaren A (1983) Sex reversal in the mouse. Differentiation [Suppl] 23:S93-S98Google Scholar
  31. McLaren A, Simpson E, Tomonari K, Chandler P, Hogg H (1984) Male sexual differentiation in mice lacking H-Y antigen. Nature 312: 552–555PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. Mijsberg WA (1924) Über die Entwicklung der Vagina, des Hymen und des Sinus urogenitalis beim Menschen. Anat Embryol (Berl) 74: 684–760CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  33. Müller J (1830) Bildungsgeschichte der Genitalien. Arzn, DüsseldorfGoogle Scholar
  34. Ohno S (1971) Simplicity of mammalian regulatory systems inferred by single gene determination of sex phenotypes. Nature 234:134–137CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. Ohno S, Lyon MF (1970) X-linked testicular feminization in the mouse as a non-inducible regulatory mutation of the Jacob-Monod type. Clin Genet 1:121–127CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. O’Rahilly R (1977) The development of the vagina in the human. Birth Defects 13:123–136PubMedGoogle Scholar
  37. Picard JY, Tran D, Josso N (1980) Une nouvelle glycoprotéine: l’hormone anti-müllérienne. Ann Endocrinol (Paris) 41:281–290Google Scholar
  38. Price D (1936) Normal development of the prostate and seminal vesicles of the rat with a study of experimental postnatal modifications. Am J Anat 60: 79–127CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  39. Price D (1963) Comparative aspects of development and stmcture in the prostate. Nat Cancer Inst Monogr 12: 1–27PubMedGoogle Scholar
  40. Raynaud A (1942) Recherches embryologiques et histologiques sur la différenciation sexuelle normale de la souris. Bull Biol Fr Belg [Suppl] 29:1–114Google Scholar
  41. Raynaud A (1950) Rechereches expérimentales sur le développement de l’appareil génital et le fonctionnement des glandes endocrines des foetus de souris et de mulot. Arch Anat Microsc Morphol Exp 39: 518–576Google Scholar
  42. Schleicher G, Drews U, Stumpf WE, Sar M (1984) Differential distribution of dihydrotestosterone and estradiol binding sites in the epididymis of the mouse. An autoradiographic study. Histochemistry 81:139–147PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  43. Schleicher G, Drews U, Thiedemann KU, Stumpf WE (1985) Autoradiographischer Nachweis der spezifischen Bindung von 3H-Dihydrotestosteron und 3H-Ostradiol im Nebenhoden der Maus und ihre Lokalisation in einem Mosaik aus Androgen-insensitiven und normalen Zellen. Verh Anat Ges 78: 575–576Google Scholar
  44. Schleicher G, Stumpf WE, Drews U, Sar M (1986a) Autoradiographic studies with 3 H dihydrotestosterone in the brain of sex reversed mice, heterozygous for androgen insensitive testicular feminization (Tfm). A comparison with normal female mice and sex reversed male mice. Histochemistry 84:23–29PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  45. Schleicher G, Stumpf WE, Morin JK, Drews U (1986b) Sites of aromatization of 3 H testosterone in forebrain of male, female, and androgen receptor-deficient Tfm mice: an autoradiographic study. Brain Res 397: 290–296PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  46. Takeda H, Mizuno T, Lasnitzki I (1985) Autoradiographic studies of androgen-binding sites in the rat urogenital sinus and postnatal prostate. J Endocrinol 104: 87–92PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  47. Theiler K (1972) The house mouse. Development and normal stages from fertilization to 4 weeks of age. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New YorkGoogle Scholar
  48. Thiedemann KU (1986) Gemeinsame Basalmembran von Wolff- und Müller-Gängen beim Herabwachsen der Vaginalanlage bei Maus-Foeten. Verh Anat Ges (in press)Google Scholar
  49. Thiedemann KU, Drews U (1980) Nuclei in testicular feminization (Tfm) are not activated by intact testosterone receptor complexes: a morphometric study in striated urethral muscle of mosaic mice. Cell Tissue Res 212: 127–138PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  50. Thiedemann KU, Schleicher G (1984) Der Urethralmuskel der Maus - Geschlechtsdimorphismus und Androgenabhängigkeit. Verh Anat Ges 78: 373–374Google Scholar
  51. Thiedemann KU, Schleicher G, Drews U (1981) Intact testosterone receptor complex does not induce RNA synthesis of Tfm-nuclei in multinucleated urethral muscle fibres of mosaic mice. Histochemistry 70:123–128PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  52. Thiersch C (1852) Bildungsfehler der Ham- und Geschlechtswerkzeuge eines Mannes. Illus Med Z 1:7–16Google Scholar
  53. Valentin G (1835) Handbuch der Entwicklungsgeschichte des Menschen mit vergleichender Rücksicht der Entwicklung der Säugetiere und Vögel. Rücker, Berlin, pp 322–408CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  54. Wachtel SS, Ohno S, Koo GC, Boyse EA (1975) Possible role of H-Y antigen in primary determination of sex. Nature 257: 235–236PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  55. Wasner G, Hennermann I, Kratochwil K (1983) Ontogeny of mesenchymal androgen receptors in the embryonic mouse mammary gland. Endocrinology 113:1771–1780PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  56. Weniger JP, Zeis A (1972) Sur la sécrétion précoce de testostérone par le testicule embryonnaire de souris. CR Seances Acad Sci [III] 275:1431–1433Google Scholar
  57. Witschi E (1970) Development and differentiation of the utems. In: Mack HC (ed) Prenatal life. Wayne State University Press, Detroit, pp 11–35Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1987

Authors and Affiliations

  • K.-U. Thiedemann

There are no affiliations available

Personalised recommendations