Summary
The early embryonic gonadal development in the cattle is characterized by the appearance of an alkaline phosphatase positive blastema. Its derivatives in gonads of both sexes, follicular cells in the female and interstitial cells in the male, also show positive alkaline phosphatase reaction. Primordial germ cells are equally alkaline phosphatase positive, but loose this activity when they later transform to oögonia and oöcytes, or to spermatogonia respectively. Using the enzyme activity as label to trace these constituents in the developmental steps of the bovine gonads, the following results were obtained.
Differentiation processes leading to the appearance of the sex cords take place in situ within the gonadal blastema which occupies the main central part of the gonadal fold. It is essentially a segregation process of the follicular cell cords or of the interstitial cells and the tubular primordia from the undifferentiated common anlage.
The so-called “germinal epithelium” is not involved in the differentiation of sex cords. Its participation — if any — in the gonadal development is restricted to a very short and rather early period. Secondary sex cords (Pflügers cords) do not occur. In the cattle there is no reason to assume a cortico-medullary antagonism in the sex determined gonadal development.
It can be assumed that the follicular cells in the ovary and the interstitial cells in the testis are homologous. This applies possibly also to the tubular cells of the testis. Homology should be admitted also for the rete structures, which remain small and undeveloped in the ovary while in the male they show considerable development.
In the ovary the follicular cell cords differentiating within the central blastema match in a junctional zone with the peripheral layer of oögonia. These are taken up by the most peripheral branches of the follicular cell cords, thus transforming to ovigerous cords. During the downward movement within these cords the germ cells transform to oöcytes which for their part proceed through first meiotic prophase and reach the dictyotene stage. The maturation of the germ cells seems to be controlled by the follicular cells and may even temporarily get out of control until an adequate number of follicular cells is found in vicinity of individual oöcytes to form primordial follicles.
The alkaline phosphatase reaction reveals the presence of numerous persisting remnants of follicular cell cords in the developing and even adult ovary.
It is suggested that the findings in the cattle gonads can be applied also to other mammals, mainly to those with longer gestation periods like man.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Benirschke, K., and M. M. Sullivan: Corpora lutea in proven mules. Pertil. and Steril. 17, 24–33 (1966).
Benoit, J.: A propos du changement expérimental de sexe par ovariotomie chez la poule. C. R. Soc. Biol. (Paris) 89, 1326–1328 (1923).
Chiquoine, A. D.: The identification, origin and migration of the primordial germ cells in the mouse embryo. Anat. Rec. 118, 135–146 (1954).
Ewert, J. C.: The Penicuik experiments (Graafian follicle in zebra/horse hybrid). London 1899.
Felix, W.: Die Entwicklung der Harn- und Geschlechtsorgane. In: Handbuch der Entwicklungsgeschichte des Menschen (Hrsg. F. Keibel u. F. P. Mall), Leipzig: S. Hirzel 1911.
Fischel, A.: Über die Entwicklung der Keimdrüsen des Menschen. Z. Anat. Entwickl.-Gesch. 92, 34–72 (1930).
Franchi, L. L., A. M. Mandl, and S. Zuckermann: The development of the ovary and the process of oögenesis. In: The ovary, ed. by Sir S. Zuckermann, vol. I. New York and London: Academic Press 1962.
Gillman, J. R.: The development of the gonads in man, with a consideration of the role of fetal endocrines and the histogenesis of ovarian tumors. Contr. Embryol. Carneg. Instn. 32, 81–131 (1948).
Gruenwald, P.: Über Form und Verlauf der Keimstränge bei Embryonen der Säugetiere und des Mensehen. II. Die Keimstränge des Eierstockes. Z. Anat. Entwickl.-Gesch. 103, 259–277 (1934).
Hertig, A. T., and H. Gore: Tumors of the female sex organs, part 3. Tumors of the ovary and fallopian tube. Armed Forces Inst. of Pathol. — Atlas of Tumor Pathol. Section IX, fasc. 33. Washington 1961.
Jacoby, F.: Ovarian histochemistry. In: The ovary, ed. by SirS. Zuckerman, vol. I. New York and London: Academic Press 1962.
McEntee, K.: Pathology of the female reproductive system. In: E. Jost, Handbuch der speziellen pathologischen Anatomie der Haustiere, Bd. IV, 3. Aufl., hrsg. von J. Dobberstein, G. Pallaske u. H. Stünzi. Berlin u. Hamburg: Parey 1962.
McKay, D. G., A. T. Hertig, E. C. Adams, and S. Danziger: Histochemical observations on the germ cells of human embryos. Anat. Rec. 117, 201–219 (1953).
Meyer, R.: Über carcinoma ovarii folliculoides et cylindromatosum. Z. Geburtsh. Gynäk. 77, 505–525 (1915).
Miller, R. A.: Spermatogenesis in a sex-reversed female and in normal males of the domestic fowl, Gallus domesticus. Anat. Rec. 70, 155–189 (1938).
Mintz, B.: Embryological development of primordial germ cells in the mouse: influence of a new mutation, Wj. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 5, 396–403 (1957).
Moore, K. L., M. A. Graham, and M. L. Barr: The sex chromatin of the bovine freemartin. J. exp. Zoöl. 135, 101–127 (1957).
Moss, S., T. R. Wrenn, and J. F. Sykes: Some histological and histochemical observations of the bovine ovary during the estrous cycle. Anat. Rec. 120, 409–433 (1954).
Novak, E., and Novak E. R.: Gynecologic and obstetric pathology, 3rd ed. Philadelphia and London: W. B. Saunders Co., 1952 (divergent interpretation in the same textbook 5th ed. by Woodruff 1962).
Ohno, S., and A. Gropp: Embryological basis for germ cell chimerism in mammals. Cytogenetics 4, 251–260 (1965).
—, and J. B. Smith: Role of fetal follicular cells in meiosis of mammalian oöcytes. Cytogenetics 3, 324–333 (1964).
—, J. Trujillo, C. Stenius, L. C. Christian, and R. L. Teplitz: Possible germ cell chimeras among newborn dizygotic twin calves (Bos taurus), Cytogenetics 1, 258–265 (1962).
Pinkerton, J. H. M., D. G. McKay, E. C. Adams, and A. T. Hertig: Development of the human ovary — A study using histochemical techniques. Obstet. and Gynec. 18, 152–181 (1961).
Politzer, G.: Die Keimbahn des Menschen. Z. Anat. Entwickl.-Gesch. 100, 331–361 (1933).
Rossi, F.: Histochemie der Enzyme bei der Entwicklung. In: Handbuch der Histochemie, Bd. VII/4 (Hrsg. W. Graumann u. Kh. Neumann). Stuttgart: Gustav Fischer 1964.
—, G. Pescetto, and E. Reale: Histochemical determination of acid and alkaline phosphatase in the initial stages of the urinary apparatus during the prenatal development of man. Acta Anat. (Basel) 19, 232–238 (1953).
Watzka, M.: Normale Entwicklungsgeschichte der Gonaden und der Geschlechtsgänge. In: Die Intersexualität, (Hrsg. Cl. Overzier). Stuttgart: Georg Thieme 1961.
Witschi, E.: Migration of the germ cells of human embryos from the yolk sac to the primitive gonadal folds. Contr. Embryol. Carneg. Instn. 32, 67–80 (1948).
—: Embryogenesis of the adrenal and the reproductive glands. Recent Progr. Hormone Res. 6, 1–27 (1951).
—: Embryology of the ovary. In: The ovary. Internat. Acad. of Path. Monogr. No 3. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins Co. 1962.
Wolff, E.: Experimental modification of ovarian development. In: The ovary, ed. by Sir S. Zuckerman, vol. II. New York and London: Academic Press 1962.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution No 58-66, Department of Biology, City of Hope Medical Center. This work was supported in part by a grant (CA 05138) from the National Cancer Institute, U.S. Public Health Service. The project was undertaken during a five-month visit to Dr. Ohno's laboratory by the senior author whose expenses were covered by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gropp, A., Ohno, S. The presence of a common embryonic blastema for ovarian and testicular parenchymal (follicular, interstitial and tubular) cells in cattle, Bos taurus . Z.Zellforsch 74, 505–528 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00496841
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00496841