New Theory for Embryonic Sex Development
Posted on: Thursday, 13 November 2008, 18:00 CST
A gene essential to growth and development of most organ systems is also vital to female, but not male, embryonic sexual development, U.S. researchers say.
Researchers at the University of Illinois and the University of Texas say the findings lend support to a controversial hypothesis about mammalian sexual development.
In terms of their sexual organs, all embryos look alike, study leader Humphrey Yao, of the University of Illinois said.
"They have a common primordium, the foundation for both testis and ovary," Yao said in a study. "Only at a certain stage of development does this primordium start to follow a different path."
It was previously thought that all females had two X chromosomes, all males had an X and a Y, and unless it had a Y chromosome, an embryo developed ovaries and became female, more or less by default. The researchers discovered some rare cases of individuals who developed testes even though they had two X chromosomes and no Y chromosome or SRY gene.
The new theory, the "Z" hypothesis, proposes that testes development is actually the default pathway and an unknown gene or process, called "Z," could disrupt this pathway and lead to the development of ovaries. Yao's findings provide some support for the "Z" hypothesis.
The study appears in Human Molecular Genetics.
Source: United Press International
Related Articles
- MyChineseLearning Partners with Peking University's Chinese Government Cultural Development Research Center
- Finding Ways for Disabled People to Participate in Research is Goal of Case Western Reserve University Nursing School Study
- Groundbreaking Study by Dr. Robert Melillo and Dr. Gerry Leisman, Offers New Hope for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD and Dyslexia. For The First Time, Researchers Propose a Universal Theory Of Autism; May Eventually Lead To Cure
- Groundbreaking Study by Dr. Robert Melillo and Dr. Gerry Leisman, Offers New Hope for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD and Dyslexia For The First Time, Researchers Propose a Universal Theory Of Autism; May Eventually Lead To Cure
- University of Illinois Study Has Little Relevance to Human Health
- Think Services Game Group's Game Developer Research Finds Outsourcing in the Game Industry Increasing in 2009 Game Development Outsourcing Report
- CytoCore Enters Technology Transfer Research and Development Agreement With University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University
- Earth Microbes Support Martian Life Hypothesis: Study
- Targeted Molecular Diagnostics Announces New Collaboration With Researchers at University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
- University of Iowa Study Identifies Damaging Mechanism in Transplants, Heart Attacks
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds