Retinoic acid and meiosis induction in adult versus embryonic gonads of medaka

In vertebrates, one of the first recognizable sex differences in embryos is the onset of meiosis, known to be regulated by retinoic acid (RA) in mammals. We investigated in medaka a possible meiotic function of RA during the embryonic sex determination (SD) period and in mature gonads. We found RA m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2016-09, Vol.6 (1), p.34281-34281, Article 34281
Main Authors: Adolfi, Mateus C, Herpin, Amaury, Regensburger, Martina, Sacquegno, Jacopo, Waxman, Joshua S, Schartl, Manfred
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Enzymes
Gametogenesis
Gender differences
Germ cells
Gonads
Life Sciences
Meiosis
Oocytes
Ovaries
Retinoic acid
Sex determination
Sex differences
Sexual dimorphism
Transcription activation
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Summary:In vertebrates, one of the first recognizable sex differences in embryos is the onset of meiosis, known to be regulated by retinoic acid (RA) in mammals. We investigated in medaka a possible meiotic function of RA during the embryonic sex determination (SD) period and in mature gonads. We found RA mediated transcriptional activation in germ cells of both sexes much earlier than the SD stage, however, no such activity during the critical stages of SD. In adults, expression of the RA metabolizing enzymes indicates sexually dimorphic RA levels. In testis, RA acts directly in Sertoli, Leydig and pre-meiotic germ cells. In ovaries, RA transcriptional activity is highest in meiotic oocytes. Our results show that RA plays an important role in meiosis induction and gametogenesis in adult medaka but contrary to common expectations, not for initiating the first meiosis in female germ cells at the SD stage.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep34281