Jf. Couse et Ks. Korach, EXPLORING THE ROLE OF SEX STEROIDS THROUGH STUDIES OF RECEPTOR-DEFICIENT MICE, Journal of molecular medicine, 76(7), 1998, pp. 497-511
Citations number
111
Categorie Soggetti
Medicine, Research & Experimental","Genetics & Heredity","Medical Laboratory Technology
Decades of study have described a number roles fulfilled by the steroi
d hormones and their respective receptors in sexual differentiation an
d development, reproductive function and behavior, and more recently i
n the function and maintenance of non-reproductive organ systems, such
as skeletal muscle, bone and coronary tissues. The biologi cal effect
s of the steroid hormones are believed to be mediated in part by speci
fic receptor proteins that demonstrated great specificity for their re
spective steroid ligands. Much of the experimental research of the fun
ctions of the sex steroid receptors has depended upon in vitro systems
as well as in vivo methods that require surgical castration or the ph
armacological administration of hormone antagonists. However, recently
developed techniques that allow for manipulation of the mouse genome
have been utilized to generate transgenic animals that lack functional
estrogen or progesterone receptors. These transgenic animals, combine
d with the naturally existing Tfm mice which lack functional androgen
receptor, now provide in vivo models for further study of the various
actions of the sex steroids and their receptors. This review attempts
to describe and compare the various phenotypes that result in each of
these lines of mice, with emphasis on the development and function of
the reproductive systems as well as reproductive behavior.