Testis To Ovary: Hormonal Control Of Differentiation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$803,379.00
Summary
We know very little of the genes that control development of the ovary in female fetuses; most study has focused on the formation of the testis in males. We will use a novel experimental model, a marsupial, where by hormonal treatment of developing males we can switch off testis formation and activate the ovarian pathway. These studies will potentially shed new light on the causes of reproductive diseases including ovarian cancer, as well as clarifying the basic biological processes that guide f ....We know very little of the genes that control development of the ovary in female fetuses; most study has focused on the formation of the testis in males. We will use a novel experimental model, a marsupial, where by hormonal treatment of developing males we can switch off testis formation and activate the ovarian pathway. These studies will potentially shed new light on the causes of reproductive diseases including ovarian cancer, as well as clarifying the basic biological processes that guide formation of the ovary.Read moreRead less
The Early Life Origins Of Impaired Testicular Function: A Prospective Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$623,277.00
Summary
There is a widespread public perception that sperm counts are diminishing. This theory can only be tested by using a representative sample of young men, rather than biased populations (such as men presenting as sperm donors). We have the unique opportunity to test this theory, and to determine any early life events which may lead to reduced sperm counts, such as being growth restricted at birth, exposed to high levels of maternal oestrogens or smoking or being overweight in adolescence.
Disorders of sexual development are among the most common form of birth defects in humans (1 in 4,000 births) because failure of the gonads to develop does not affect the viability of the individual. Such disorders can have profound psychological and medical consequences upon the individual, family, and society. Some intersexual conditions are the result of inappropriate exposure to hormones during fetal life, and others are due to spontaneous or inherited gene mutation. About 5-10% of ovarian c ....Disorders of sexual development are among the most common form of birth defects in humans (1 in 4,000 births) because failure of the gonads to develop does not affect the viability of the individual. Such disorders can have profound psychological and medical consequences upon the individual, family, and society. Some intersexual conditions are the result of inappropriate exposure to hormones during fetal life, and others are due to spontaneous or inherited gene mutation. About 5-10% of ovarian cancer cases, that affect 1 in 8000 Australian women, are due to the inheritance of a faulty gene. An understanding of the way gene expression and hence tissue differentiation is altered after sex reversal will inform us about the causes and consequences of normal and abnormal sexual development, gonadal malignancies and infertility. The gonad is unusual in that two completely different organs can arise from an essentially identical primordium, so that errors in development lead to intersexual phenotypes. We will use our new experimental animal model to clarify these processes.Read moreRead less