Recent advances in genetic manipulation have greatly expanded our understanding of
cellular responses to platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) during animal development. In …

This article reviews results on diVerentiation, structure, and regulation of Leydig cells in the
testes of rodents and men. Two different populations—fetal and adult Leydig cells—can be …

Establishment of the steroid-producing Leydig cell lineage is an event downstream of Sry
that is critical for masculinization of mammalian embryos. Neither the origin of fetal Leydig …

During testis development, the rapid morphological changes initiated by Sry require the
coordinate integration of many signaling pathways. Based on the established role of the …

Sex determination is the process by which the bipotential gonads develop as either testes or
ovaries. With two distinct potential outcomes, the gonadal primordium offers a unique model …

During the differentiation of the mammalian embryonic testis, two compartments are defined:
the testis cords and the interstitium. The testis cords give rise to the adult seminiferous …

While the molecular cues initiating testis determination have been identified in mammals,
the cellular interactions involved in generating a functional testis with cord and interstitial …

The foetal Leydig cell population arises shortly after testicular differentiation at around 12.5
dpc in the mouse and 6 weeks in the human. These cells function, primarily, to produce …

Sertoli and Leydig cells, the two major somatic cell types in the testis, have different
morphologies and functions. Both are essential for gonad development and …

Sex determination refers to the decision of the bipotential early gonads to develop as either
testes or ovaries during embryogenesis. In mammals, a single genetic trigger involved in this …