1: Mol Endocrinol. 2007 Sep 20; [Epub ahead of print]

SRY and the Standoff in Sex Determination.

Dinapoli L, Capel B.

Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham NC, 27710.

SRY was identified as the mammalian sex-determining gene more than 15 years ago
and has been extensively studied since. Although many of the pathways regulating 
sexual differentiation have been elucidated, direct downstream targets of SRY are
still unclear, making a 'top down' approach difficult. However, recent work has
demonstrated that the fate of the gonad is actively contested by both
male-promoting and female-promoting signals. Sox9 and Fgf9 push gonads towards
testis differentiation. These two genes are opposed by Wnt4, and possibly RSPO1, 
which push gonads towards ovary differentiation. In this review, we will discuss 
the history of the field, current findings, and exciting new directions in
vertebrate sex-determination.

PMID: 17666585 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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