| Title | Estrogen masculinizes neural pathways and sex-specific behaviors. | | Author(s) | Wu MV, Manoli DS, Fraser EJ, Coats JK, Tollkuhn J, Honda S, Harada N, Shah NM | | Institution | Program in Neuroscience, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA. | | Source | Cell 2009 Oct 2; 139(1):61-72. | | MeSH | Animals
Animals, Newborn
Aromatase
Brain
Cell Survival
Estrogens
Female
Male
Mice
Neural Pathways
Neurons
Receptors, Androgen
Sex Characteristics
Sexual Behavior, Animal
Territoriality
| | Abstract | Sex hormones are essential for neural circuit development and sex-specific behaviors. Male behaviors require both testosterone and estrogen, but it is unclear how the two hormonal pathways intersect. Circulating testosterone activates the androgen receptor (AR) and is also converted into estrogen in the brain via aromatase. We demonstrate extensive sexual dimorphism in the number and projections of aromatase-expressing neurons. The masculinization of these cells is independent of AR but can be induced in females by either testosterone or estrogen, indicating a role for aromatase in sexual differentiation of these neurons. We provide evidence suggesting that aromatase is also important in activating male-specific aggression and urine marking because these behaviors can be elicited by testosterone in males mutant for AR and in females subjected to neonatal estrogen exposure. Our results suggest that aromatization of testosterone into estrogen is important for the development and activation of neural circuits that control male territorial behaviors. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
| | PubMed ID | 19804754 |
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