A genetically female brain is required for a regular reproductive cycle in chicken brain chimeras

Fumihiko Maekawa, Miyano Sakurai, Yuki Yamashita, Kohichi Tanaka, Shogo Haraguchi, Kazutoshi Yamamoto, Kazuyoshi Tsutsui, Hidefumi Yoshioka, Shizuko Murakami, Ryo Tadano, Tatsuhiko Goto, Jun-ichi Shiraishi, Kohei Tomonari, Takao Oka, Ken Ohara, Teruo Maeda, Takashi Bungo, Masaoki Tsudzuki and Hiroko Ohki-Hamazaki ()
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Fumihiko Maekawa: Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, School of Biomedical Science and Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Miyano Sakurai: Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, School of Biomedical Science and Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Yuki Yamashita: Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, School of Biomedical Science and Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Kohichi Tanaka: Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, School of Biomedical Science and Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Shogo Haraguchi: Laboratory of Integrative Brain Sciences, Waseda University
Kazutoshi Yamamoto: Laboratory of Integrative Brain Sciences, Waseda University
Kazuyoshi Tsutsui: Laboratory of Integrative Brain Sciences, Waseda University
Hidefumi Yoshioka: Hyogo University of Teacher Education
Shizuko Murakami: Juntendo University School of Medicine
Ryo Tadano: Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University
Tatsuhiko Goto: Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University
Jun-ichi Shiraishi: Laboratory of Animal Behavior and Physiology, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University
Kohei Tomonari: Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University
Takao Oka: Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University
Ken Ohara: Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University
Teruo Maeda: Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University
Takashi Bungo: Laboratory of Animal Behavior and Physiology, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University
Masaoki Tsudzuki: Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University
Hiroko Ohki-Hamazaki: Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, School of Biomedical Science and Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University

Nature Communications, 2013, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Sexual differentiation leads to structural and behavioural differences between males and females. Here we investigate the intrinsic sex identity of the brain by constructing chicken chimeras in which the brain primordium is switched between male and female identities before gonadal development. We find that the female chimeras with male brains display delayed sexual maturation and irregular oviposition cycles, although their behaviour, plasma concentrations of sex steroids and luteinizing hormone levels are normal. The male chimeras with female brains show phenotypes similar to typical cocks. In the perinatal period, oestrogen concentrations in the genetically male brain are higher than those in the genetically female brain. Our study demonstrates that male brain cells retain male sex identity and do not differentiate into female cells to drive the normal oestrous cycle, even when situated in the female hormonal milieu. This is clear evidence for a sex-specific feature that develops independent of gonadal steroids.

Date: 2013
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2372

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