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Science 4 May 1979:
Vol. 204. no. 4392, pp. 517 - 519
DOI: 10.1126/science.432656
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Articles

Science, Vol 204, Issue 4392, 517-519
Copyright © 1979 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Embryonic rodent brain contains estrogen receptors

CC Vito and TO Fox

Estradiol-binding proteins with the properties of putative estrogen receptors are present in cytosol extracts of embryonic mouse hypothalamus and other brain regions. These embryonic estrogen receptors are adultlike in their high affinity and limited capacity for estradiol, sensitivity to diethylstilbestrol, ability to adhere to DNA, and behavior during DNA-cellulose affinity chromatography. As early as 4 days before birth, mouse hypothalamus has approximately 40 percent of the adult concentration of hypothalamic estrogen receptors with these properties. These observations raise the possibility that embryonic rodent brain has the biochemical potential to respond to sex hormones and that the critical period of brain sexual differentiation could be initiated prenatally.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Sex differences in estrogenic regulation of neuronal activity in neonatal cultures of ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus.
J. Zhou, D. W. Pfaff, and G. Chen (2005)
PNAS 102, 14907-14912
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Human Sexual Orientation: The Biologic Theories Reappraised.
W. Byne and B. Parsons (1993)
Arch Gen Psychiatry 50, 228-239
   Abstract »    PDF »
Sexual differentiation of the central nervous system.
N. MacLusky and F Naftolin (1981)
Science 211, 1294-1302
   Abstract »


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