Linked Life Data

8043507

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/8043507

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4-6
pubmed:dateCreated
1994-8-26
pubmed:abstractText
Steroid sex hormones have an organizational role in gender-specific brain development. Aromatase, converting testosterone (T) to oestradiol-17 beta (E2), is a key enzyme in the brain and the regulation of this enzyme is likely to determine availability of E2 effective for neural differentiation. In rodents, oestrogens are formed very actively during male perinatal brain development. This paper reviews work on the sexual differentiation of the brain aromatase system in vitro. Embryonic day 15 mouse hypothalamic culture aromatase activity (AA: mean Vmax = 0.9 pmol/h/mg protein) is several times greater than in the adult, whereas apparent Km is similar for both (approximately 30-40 nM). Using microdissected brain areas and cultured cells of the mouse, sex differences in hypothalamic AA during both early embryonic and later perinatal development can be demonstrated, with higher E2 formation in the male than in the female. The sex differences are brain region-specific, since no differences between male and female are detectable in cultured cortical cells. AA quantitation and immunoreactive staining with an aromatase polyclonal antibody both identify neuronal rather than astroglial localizations of the enzyme. Kainic acid eliminates the gender difference in hypothalamic oestrogen formation indicating, furthermore, that this sex dimorphism is neuronal. Gender-specific aromatase regulation is regional in the brain. Oestrogen formation is specifically induced in cultured hypothalamic neurones of either sex by T, since androgen has no effect on cortical cells. Androgen is clearly involved in the growth of hypothalamic neurones containing aromatase. It appears that differentiation of the brain involves maturation of a gender-specific network of oestrogen-forming neurones.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
0960-0760
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
49
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
407-15
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1994
pubmed:articleTitle
Brain formation of oestrogen in the mouse: sex dimorphism in aromatase development.
pubmed:affiliation
MRC Neuroendocrine Development and Behaviour Group, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, England.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Review, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't