PMID- 17008476
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20070521
LR  - 20131121
IS  - 1470-1626 (Print)
IS  - 1470-1626 (Linking)
VI  - 132
IP  - 4
DP  - 2006 Oct
TI  - Endocrine differentiation of fetal ovaries and testes of the spotted hyena 
      (Crocuta crocuta): timing of androgen-independent versus androgen-driven genital 
      development.
PG  - 649-59
AB  - Female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) have an erectile peniform clitoris and a 
      pseudoscrotum but no external vagina, all established by day 35 of a 110-day 
      gestation. Recent studies indicate that these events are androgen-independent, 
      although androgen secretion by fetal ovaries and testis was hypothesized 
      previously to induce phallic development in both sexes. We present the first data 
      relating to the capacity of the ovaries and testes of the spotted hyena to 
      synthesize androgens at different stages of fetal life. Specifically, spotted 
      hyena fetal gonads were examined by immunohistochemistry at GD 30, 45, 48, 65, 
      and 95 for androgen-synthesizing enzymes, as related to the morphological 
      development. Enzymes included 17alpha-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase cytochrome P450 
      (P450c17), cytochrome b5, 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3betaHSD), and 
      cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P450 (P450scc). Anti-Mullerian-hormone 
      (AMH) expression was also examined. AMH was strongly expressed in fetal Sertoli 
      cells from GD 30 and after. P450c17 expression was detected in Leydig cells of 
      developing testes and surprisingly in Mullerian duct epithelium. Fetal ovaries 
      began to organize and differentiate by GD 45, and medullary cells expressed 
      P450c17, cytochrome b5, 3betaHSD, and P450scc. The findings support the 
      hypothesis that external genital morphology is probably androgen-independent 
      initially, but that fetal testicular androgens modify the secondary, 
      male-specific phallic form and accessory organs. Fetal ovaries appear to develop 
      substantial androgen-synthesizing capacity but not until phallic differentiation 
      is complete, i.e. after GD 45 based on circulating androstenedione 
      concentrations. During late gestation, fetal ovaries and testes synthesize 
      androgens, possibly organizing the neural substrates of aggressive behaviors 
      observed at birth in spotted hyenas. These data provide an endocrine rationale 
      for sexual dimorphisms in phallic structure and reveal a potential source of 
      androgenic support for neonatal aggression in female and male C. crocuta.
FAU - Browne, P
AU  - Browne P
AD  - Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, 
      University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
FAU - Place, N J
AU  - Place NJ
FAU - Vidal, J D
AU  - Vidal JD
FAU - Moore, I T
AU  - Moore IT
FAU - Cunha, G R
AU  - Cunha GR
FAU - Glickman, S E
AU  - Glickman SE
FAU - Conley, A J
AU  - Conley AJ
LA  - eng
GR  - MH-39917/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
PL  - England
TA  - Reproduction
JT  - Reproduction (Cambridge, England)
JID - 100966036
RN  - 0 (Androgens)
RN  - 0 (Glycoproteins)
RN  - 0 (Testicular Hormones)
RN  - 08J2K08A3Y (Dihydrotestosterone)
RN  - 3XMK78S47O (Testosterone)
RN  - 409J2J96VR (Androstenedione)
RN  - 4TI98Z838E (Estradiol)
RN  - 80497-65-0 (Anti-Mullerian Hormone)
SB  - IM
MH  - Androgens/*physiology
MH  - Androstenedione/blood
MH  - Animals
MH  - Anti-Mullerian Hormone
MH  - Dihydrotestosterone/blood
MH  - Embryonic Induction
MH  - Estradiol/blood
MH  - Female
MH  - Genitalia/*embryology
MH  - Gestational Age
MH  - Glycoproteins/analysis
MH  - Hyaenidae/*embryology/metabolism
MH  - Immunohistochemistry/methods
MH  - Male
MH  - Ovary/*embryology
MH  - Testicular Hormones/analysis
MH  - Testis/*embryology
MH  - Testosterone/blood
EDAT- 2006/09/30 09:00
MHDA- 2007/05/22 09:00
CRDT- 2006/09/30 09:00
PHST- 2006/09/30 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2007/05/22 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2006/09/30 09:00 [entrez]
AID - 132/4/649 [pii]
AID - 10.1530/rep.1.01120 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Reproduction. 2006 Oct;132(4):649-59. doi: 10.1530/rep.1.01120.