研究者发现，人体不断地处于保持男性还是女性的斗争中，只要抑制一个基因就可以在男女性别之间转换。这一惊人发现是对性别生而决定的挑战。 这也给儿童性别紊乱、女性早期停经的治疗，甚至非手术性变性带来希望。 通常认为哺乳动物雄性具有XY染色体，雌性具有XX染色体。新的研究发现另一个基因可以让性别发生转换。 这个基因即FOXL2。打开这个基因身体就会长出卵巢，关闭就会长出睾丸。 但真正让研究者吃惊的是，这一过程会在出生后持续，身体在不断地进行着该基因是打开还是关闭的斗争中，甚至是在成年期。 该研究团队发现，关闭成鼠FOXL2基因，卵细胞开始变成睾丸细胞。这意味着可能人类也会发生同样的现象。 详情参考： 1、 http://digg.com/d31CWG0 2、CELL杂志：Somatic Sex Reprogramming of Adult Ovaries to Testes by FOXL2 Ablation。 Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc.. All rights reserved. Cell, Volume 139, Issue 6, 1130-1142, 11 December 2009 doi:10.1016/j.cell.2009.11.021 Somatic Sex Reprogramming of Adult Ovaries to Testes by FOXL2 Ablation N. Henriette Uhlenhaut1, 7, Susanne Jakob2, Katrin Anlag1, Tobias Eisenberger1, Ryohei Sekido2, Jana Kress1, Anna-Corina Treier1, Claudia Klugmann1, Christian Klasen1, Nadine I. Holter1, Dieter Riethmacher3, Gnther Schtz4, Austin J. Cooney5, Robin Lovell-Badge2 and Mathias Treier1, 6, , 1 Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany 2 Division of Developmental Genetics, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK 3 Division of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK 4 Division of Molecular Biology of the Cell I, German Cancer Research Center, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany 5 Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA 6 Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, D-50931 Cologne, Germany Corresponding author 7 Present address: The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA 【Summary】 In mammals, the transcription factor SRY, encoded by the Y chromosome, is normally responsible for triggering the indifferent gonads to develop as testes rather than ovaries. However, testis differentiation can occur in its absence. Here we demonstrate in the mouse that a single factor, the forkhead transcriptional regulator FOXL2, is required to prevent transdifferentiation of an adult ovary to a testis. Inducible deletion of Foxl2 in adult ovarian follicles leads to immediate upregulation of testis-specific genes including the critical SRY target gene Sox9. Concordantly, reprogramming of granulosa and theca cell lineages into Sertoli-like and Leydig-like cell lineages occurs with testosterone levels comparable to those of normal XY male littermates. Our results show that maintenance of the ovarian phenotype is an active process throughout life. They might also have important medical implications for the understanding and treatment of some disorders of sexual development in children and premature menopause in women.For a video summary of this article, see the PaperFlick file with the Supplemental Data available online. (http://www.ebiotrade.com/) 3、 http://luxury.qq.com/a/20091214/000022.htm
标签: 性别
