Projects per year
Abstract
Although the genetic triggers for gonadal sex differentiation vary across species, the cell biology of gonadal development was long thought to be largely conserved. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of gonadal sex differentiation, using single-cell sequencing in the embryonic chicken gonad during sexual differentiation. The data show that chicken embryonic-supporting cells do not derive from the coelomic epithelium, in contrast to other vertebrates studied. Instead, they derive from a DMRT1+/PAX2+/WNT4+/OSR1+ mesenchymal cell population. We find a greater complexity of gonadal cell types than previously thought, including the identification of two distinct sub-populations of Sertoli cells in developing testes and derivation of embryonic steroidogenic cells from a differentiated supporting-cell lineage. Altogether, these results indicate that, just as the genetic trigger for sex differs across vertebrate groups, cell lineage specification in the gonad may also vary substantially.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 107491 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Cell Reports |
Volume | 31 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 7 Apr 2020 |
Keywords
- chicken
- DMRT1
- embryonic gonad
- gonadal sex differentiation
- ovary
- PAX2
- sex determination
- single-cell RNA-seq
- testis
Projects
- 1 Finished
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Chicken and ChIPs; genetic control of avian gonadal development
Smith, C. & Kuroiwa, A.
Australian Research Council (ARC), Monash University, Hokkaido University
1/01/16 → 31/12/18
Project: Research
Equipment
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Bioinformatics Platform
Deanna Deveson (Manager)
Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences Research PlatformsFacility/equipment: Facility
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Histology Platform
Camilla Cohen (Manager)
Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences Research PlatformsFacility/equipment: Facility
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Micromon
Scott Coutts (Manager)
Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences Research PlatformsFacility/equipment: Facility