Study of feminization mechanism of avian brain and regulation mechanism of aromatase gene expression

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26660211
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Animal production science
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Saito Noboru 岡山大学, 環境生命科学研究科, 教授 (40211924)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): HARADA Nobuhiro 藤田保健衛生大学, 医学部, 教授 (00189705)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ウズラ / 生殖腺 / 脳 / 性分化 / エストラジオール / アロマターゼ / 遺伝子発現

Outline of Final Research Achievements

During incubation of chicken fertilized eggs, aromatase gene expression of brain and gonads, adrenal glands and estradiol concentrations of plasma and brain, gonads, adrenal glands were measured. It was confirmed that female aromatase gene expression was high in gonads and adrenal glands. No gender difference was observed in aromatase gene expression in the brain. The amount of estradiol in the tissue was similar to that of aromatase gene expression. It was suggested that estradiol produced in gonads is unlikely to act on the brain because there was no sex difference in blood estradiol concentration suggesting that the brain may be sexually autonomous.

Free Research Field

農学