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Testicular Differentiation—a Developmental Cascade

Morphogenetic Effects of H-Y Antigen and Testosterone in the Male Mammalian Gonad

  • Chapter
Mechanisms of Gonadal Differentiation in Vertebrates

Abstract

The differentiation of the gonadal anlage into a functional testis may be described as a process that proceeds in several consecutive steps. The first step involves the appearance of sex-specific differentiation antigens and/or factors. These factors are under the control of the sex chromosomes. In the second step primary events of gonadal development occur. Certain populations of cells start morphologic and functional differentiation. These cells—once they are differentiated—in turn induce development of additional proteins and/or cell types either directly by cell contact or more indirectly through differentiation factors, hormones, etc., thus making the third step. Positive and negative interactions between cells and their products finally result in the differentiated gonad. Various experimental findings support this model of testicular differentiation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Human Genetics, University of Freiburg, Albertstr. 11, D-7800, Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany

    Ulrich Müller & Hubert Schindler

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  1. Ulrich Müller
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© 1983 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Müller, U., Schindler, H. (1983). Testicular Differentiation—a Developmental Cascade. In: Mechanisms of Gonadal Differentiation in Vertebrates. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69150-8_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69150-8_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-12480-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-69150-8

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