Investigation of the fate of Sry-expressing cells using an in vivo Cre/loxP system

Dev Growth Differ. 2006 Jan;48(1):41-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-169X.2006.00844.x.

Abstract

Sry (sex-determining region on Y chromosome) is expressed in the undifferentiated, bipotential genital ridges of mammalian XY fetuses. The expression of Sry initiates testis development, but the lineage of Sry-expressing cells is unclear. In this study, double-transgenic mice were analyzed using the Cre/loxP system. Cre under the control of the Sry promoter was expressed in the fetal gonads of transgenic mice similarly to endogenous Sry. The Sry/Cre-transgenic mice were crossed with CAG(cytomegalovirus immediate-early enhancer, chicken beta-actin promoter and fusion intron of chicken beta-actin and rabbit beta-globin)/loxP/CAT/loxP/LacZ-transgenic mice, in which the transgene expressed beta-galactosidase after a Cre-mediated recombination event. Sertoli cells, germ cells of testes and granulosa cells of ovaries of double-transgenic mice stained positive with X-gal. Cre expression was detected in germ cells and peritubular/Sertoli cells in adult testes. It is not clear whether beta-galactosidase expression in the Sertoli cells of the testes occurred as a result of Cre expression in the adult or in the fetal gonads. These analyses indicate that cells expressing Sry-inducing factors in female fetal gonads become granulosa cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Lineage / genetics
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Granulosa Cells / cytology*
  • Granulosa Cells / enzymology
  • Granulosa Cells / metabolism
  • Integrases / genetics
  • Integrases / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Ovary / cytology
  • Ovary / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Rabbits
  • Recombination, Genetic
  • Sertoli Cells / cytology
  • Sertoli Cells / enzymology
  • Sertoli Cells / metabolism
  • Sex-Determining Region Y Protein / genetics*
  • Sex-Determining Region Y Protein / metabolism*
  • Testis / cytology
  • Testis / metabolism
  • Viral Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Proteins / metabolism
  • beta-Galactosidase / analysis
  • beta-Galactosidase / genetics

Substances

  • Sex-Determining Region Y Protein
  • Sry protein, mouse
  • Viral Proteins
  • Cre recombinase
  • Integrases
  • beta-Galactosidase