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American Zoologist 1975 15(2):257-272; doi:10.1093/icb/15.2.257
© 1975 by The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
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Sex Differentiation of Avian Gonads In Vitro

KATY HAFFEN
Unité de Recherches 61 de l'INSERM 67200 Strasbourg-Hautepierre, France

The analysis of avian sex differentiation in vitro has been limited to the following problems: morphological sex differentiation of gonads cultured in vitro; analysis of the chemical nature of the hormonal secretion; differentiation of germ cells in relation to their somatic environment. Morphological sex differentiation of avian gonads occurs in vitro. Differentiated gonads of the chick embryo carry out biosynthesis of sex hormones from several radioactive precursors. Female gonads in particular synthesize estrogens while male gonads synthesize testosterone. Some experiments have given evidence of estrogen synthesis by undifferentiated female gonads. Embryonic gonads of quail, like those of chick, are able to synthesize sex steroids from radioactive precursors. However, in the quail and mainly in the testes, a delayed appearance and a lower activity of the enzyme system 3ß-HSDH {Delta}s-4-isomerase was found. Histoenzymological results corroborate the biochemical ones. Combination of culture and grafting experiments have shown that male germ cells when they are forced into female differentiation by early colonization of a female gonad degenerate after entering the premeiotic stage. The reasons for this delayed failure of sex differentiation of "male oocytes" have certainly to be searched for at the level of perturbation in the mechanisms of meiosis.


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