Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
+ sex determination, + sex differentiation, + ovary, + testis, + metabolism, + fertility, + chicken, + mouse
We demonstrated that avian gonadal supporting cells do not arise from the coelomic epithelium, as previously assumed. By analyzing single-cell dataset of embryonic gonads, we identified a mesenchymal population as their origin, resolving a long-standing question and opening new avenues for comparative studies across species. [pubmed] [doi]
We identified a metabolic coupling between foetal Sertoli and germ cells in mice, driven by glycogen breakdown and lactate transport through the MCT4/MCT1 shuttle, which is essential for foetal germ cell development. [pubmed] [doi]
Using genetic mouse models, lineage tracing, and multi-omic analysis, we identified NR2F2 as a key regulator of foetal Leydig cell differentiation, a process essential for testis development, androgen production, and male sex differentiation. These findings provide important insights into foetal Leydig cell specification and establish a model of a human DSD phenotype. [pubmed] [doi]