Cellular and molecular mechanisms of sexual differentiation in the mammalian nervous system

Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology
Nancy G ForgerAlexandra Castillo-Ruiz

Abstract

Neuroscientists are likely to discover new sex differences in the coming years, spurred by the National Institutes of Health initiative to include both sexes in preclinical studies. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying sex differences in the mammalian nervous system, based primarily on work in rodents. Cellular mechanisms examined include neurogenesis, migration, the differentiation of neurochemical and morphological cell phenotype, and cell death. At the molecular level we discuss evolving roles for epigenetics, sex chromosome complement, the immune system, and newly identified cell signaling pathways. We review recent findings on the role of the environment, as well as genome-wide studies with some surprising results, causing us to re-think often-used models of sexual differentiation. We end by pointing to future directions, including an increased awareness of the important contributions of tissues outside of the nervous system to sexual differentiation of the brain.

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Citations

Dec 16, 2017·Developmental Neurobiology·Jonathan W VanRyzinMargaret M McCarthy
Mar 25, 2018·Journal of Lipid Research·Saravanan DevendranJason M Ridlon
Mar 17, 2018·The Journal of Endocrinology·Luba SominskySarah J Spencer
Nov 22, 2016·Journal of Neuroscience Research·Wendy A Koss, Karyn M Frick
Mar 16, 2019·Frontiers in Neuroscience·Laura R CortesNancy G Forger
May 21, 2019·Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Developmental Biology·Bruno Gegenhuber, Jessica Tollkuhn
Nov 22, 2016·Journal of Neuroscience Research·Chi Bun Chan, Keqiang Ye
Nov 22, 2016·Journal of Neuroscience Research·Georgia E HodesScott J Russo
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Jul 5, 2018·Cell Reports·Tomoyuki FujiyamaMikio Hoshino
Dec 24, 2018·Hormones and Behavior·Ashlyn Swift-Gallant

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