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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Livestock Bio-Systems » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #115373
Title: TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL LOCALIZATION PATTERNS OF GATA4 DURING PORCINE GONADOGENESIS

Author
item McCoard, Susan
item Wise, Thomas
item Fahrenkrug, Scott
item Ford, Johny

Submitted to: Biology of Reproduction
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/2001
Publication Date: 8/1/2001
Citation: Mccoard, S.A., Wise, T.H., Fahrenkrug, S.C., Ford, J.J. 2001. Temporal and spatial localization patterns of Gata4 during porcine gonadogenesis. Biology of Reproduction. 65(2):366-374.

Interpretive Summary: An understanding of embryonic and fetal gonadogenesis is important for the study of testicular and ovarian growth as it is during this time that the functional units of the testis and ovary develop. While rodent gonadogenesis is well characterized, gonadogenesis in large mammals has received little attention. The aim of this study was to characterize porcine gonadogenesis. Immunohistochemical studies showed that Gata4, a transcription factor involved in rodent gonadogenesis, is an early marker for the initial formation (19 days postcoitus) of the porcine bipotential. Gata4 is expressed throughout sexual differentiation in the Sertoli cells of the testis and granulosa cells of the ovary, and in some steroidogenic and connective tissue cells in both sexes. Gata4 was not expressed in the germ cells. Testis differentiation occurred by 26 days postcoitus and ovarian differentiation was evident by 33 days postcoitus. In addition to marking gonadal formation and development, an in vitro assay indicated that Gata4 is also expressed in a population of dorsal mesentery cells that may migrate into the gonad contributing to the somatic cell lineage. This study provides valuable information pertaining to the timing of porcine gonadogenesis in both males and females and the potential origin of the somatic cell lineage of the gonad.

Technical Abstract: Gata4 has been implicated in rodent gonadogenesis, however, the expression patterns of Gata4 during porcine gonadogenesis has not been characterized. Immunohistchemical studies showed that Gata4 is expressed in the coelomic epithelium prior to histological differentiation of the bipotential gonad. The somatic cells of the XX and XY bipotential gonad continued to express Gata4 throughout sexual differentiation. Testicular cords were evident by 26 days postcoitus. Gata4 was expressed in some interstitial cells and all Sertoli cells as confirmed by co-expression of Mullerian inhibiting substance. Most somatic cells of the differentiation ovary also expressed Gata4. Germ cells did not express Gata4. A population of Gata4 expressing cells in the dorsal mesentery was continuous with the coelomic epithelium of the gonad. This expression pattern led to the hypothesis that the somatic cells in the dorsal mesentery move towards the gonad. An in vitro cell migration assay supported this hypothesis by demonstrating that Gata4 expressing cells will preferentially migrate towards explanted gonad. We conclude from this study that Gata4 is a marker for porcine gonad formation and subsequent development. Further, we suggest that the somatic cells of the dorsal mesentery may migrate and incorporate into the developing gonad contributing to various somatic cell lineages.