Six Decades of Research on Human Fetal Gonadal Steroids
Human fetal gonads acquire endocrine steroidogenic capabilities early during their differentiation. Genetic studies show that this endocrine function plays a central role in the sexually dimorphic development of the external genitalia during fetal development. When this endocrine function is dysregu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/13/6681 |
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| author | Stéphane Connan-Perrot Thibaut Léger Pauline Lelandais Christèle Desdoits-Lethimonier Arthur David Paul A. Fowler Séverine Mazaud-Guittot |
| author_facet | Stéphane Connan-Perrot Thibaut Léger Pauline Lelandais Christèle Desdoits-Lethimonier Arthur David Paul A. Fowler Séverine Mazaud-Guittot |
| author_sort | Stéphane Connan-Perrot |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Human fetal gonads acquire endocrine steroidogenic capabilities early during their differentiation. Genetic studies show that this endocrine function plays a central role in the sexually dimorphic development of the external genitalia during fetal development. When this endocrine function is dysregulated, congenital malformations and pathologies are the result. In this review, we explain how the current knowledge of steroidogenesis in human fetal gonads has benefited from both the technological advances in steroid measurements and the assembly of detailed knowledge of steroidogenesis machinery and its expression in human fetal gonads. We summarise how the conversion of radiolabelled steroid precursors, antibody-based assays, mass spectrometry, ultrastructural studies, and the in situ labelling of proteins and mRNA have all provided complementary information. In this review, our discussion goes beyond the debate on recommendations concerning the best choice between the different available technologies, and their degrees of reproducibility and sensitivity. The available technologies and techniques can be used for different purposes and, as long as all quality controls are rigorously employed, the question is how to maximise the generation of robust, reproducible data on steroid hormones and their crucial roles in human fetal development and subsequent functions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:10:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-87d3648ee5694dfaba4467f23f4cc0d9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:10:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-87d3648ee5694dfaba4467f23f4cc0d92023-11-22T01:12:34ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-06-012213668110.3390/ijms22136681Six Decades of Research on Human Fetal Gonadal SteroidsStéphane Connan-Perrot0Thibaut Léger1Pauline Lelandais2Christèle Desdoits-Lethimonier3Arthur David4Paul A. Fowler5Séverine Mazaud-Guittot6Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, 35000 Rennes, FranceFougères Laboratory, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), CEDEX, 35306 Fougères, FranceUniv Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, 35000 Rennes, FranceUniv Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, 35000 Rennes, FranceUniv Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, 35000 Rennes, FranceInstitute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UKUniv Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, 35000 Rennes, FranceHuman fetal gonads acquire endocrine steroidogenic capabilities early during their differentiation. Genetic studies show that this endocrine function plays a central role in the sexually dimorphic development of the external genitalia during fetal development. When this endocrine function is dysregulated, congenital malformations and pathologies are the result. In this review, we explain how the current knowledge of steroidogenesis in human fetal gonads has benefited from both the technological advances in steroid measurements and the assembly of detailed knowledge of steroidogenesis machinery and its expression in human fetal gonads. We summarise how the conversion of radiolabelled steroid precursors, antibody-based assays, mass spectrometry, ultrastructural studies, and the in situ labelling of proteins and mRNA have all provided complementary information. In this review, our discussion goes beyond the debate on recommendations concerning the best choice between the different available technologies, and their degrees of reproducibility and sensitivity. The available technologies and techniques can be used for different purposes and, as long as all quality controls are rigorously employed, the question is how to maximise the generation of robust, reproducible data on steroid hormones and their crucial roles in human fetal development and subsequent functions.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/13/6681detectionquantificationtestisovarysteroidogenesisandrogens |
| spellingShingle | Stéphane Connan-Perrot Thibaut Léger Pauline Lelandais Christèle Desdoits-Lethimonier Arthur David Paul A. Fowler Séverine Mazaud-Guittot Six Decades of Research on Human Fetal Gonadal Steroids International Journal of Molecular Sciences detection quantification testis ovary steroidogenesis androgens |
| title | Six Decades of Research on Human Fetal Gonadal Steroids |
| title_full | Six Decades of Research on Human Fetal Gonadal Steroids |
| title_fullStr | Six Decades of Research on Human Fetal Gonadal Steroids |
| title_full_unstemmed | Six Decades of Research on Human Fetal Gonadal Steroids |
| title_short | Six Decades of Research on Human Fetal Gonadal Steroids |
| title_sort | six decades of research on human fetal gonadal steroids |
| topic | detection quantification testis ovary steroidogenesis androgens |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/13/6681 |
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