Bok G, Drews U
J Embryol Exp Morphol. 1983 Feb;73:275-95.
In mammals formation of a sinus vagina is inhibited in the male by endogenous testosterone from the embryonic testes. To answer the question which morphogenetic events during formation of the vagina are influenced by testosterone, we explanted genital tracts of mouse embryos in the indifferent stage of development in organ culture. Half of the explants were treated with testosterone and therefore developed in male direction. The other half was kept without testosterone and developed constitutively in female direction. Since the anti Müller factor was not present, in both types of cultures the Müllerian ducts were preserved. During female development the Müllerian ducts fused with the dorsolaterally apposed caudal segments of the Wolffian ducts. Thus the caudal segments of the Wolffian ducts were incorporated in the vaginal plate, while cranially the Wolffian ducts degenerated as expected. During male development fusion between Müllerian and Wolffian ducts did not occur. Under the influence of testosterone the respective caudal segments of the Wolffian ducts were surrounded by dense mesenchyme and further male differentiation took place. We conclude that the 'sinus protrusions' or 'sinovaginal bulbs' observed during development of the vagina, are in fact the caudal segments of the Wolffian ducts. They serve as a link between Müllerian ducts and urogenital sinus. Formation of a sinus vagina is prevented by testosterone simply by induction of male development in this area.
在哺乳动物中，雄性胚胎睾丸分泌的内源性睾酮会抑制阴道窦的形成。为了回答阴道形成过程中哪些形态发生事件受睾酮影响这一问题，我们将处于发育未分化阶段的小鼠胚胎生殖道进行体外器官培养。一半的外植体用睾酮处理，从而向雄性方向发育。另一半不添加睾酮，自然向雌性方向发育。由于不存在抗苗勒管因子，两种培养类型中的苗勒管均得以保留。在雌性发育过程中，苗勒管与与其背外侧相邻的沃尔夫管尾段融合。因此，沃尔夫管尾段并入阴道板，而在头侧，沃尔夫管如预期那样退化。在雄性发育过程中，苗勒管与沃尔夫管之间未发生融合。在睾酮的影响下，沃尔夫管相应的尾段被致密间充质包围，并发生进一步的雄性分化。我们得出结论，在阴道发育过程中观察到的“窦突出物”或“窦阴道球”实际上是沃尔夫管的尾段。它们作为苗勒管与泌尿生殖窦之间的连接。睾酮通过简单地诱导该区域的雄性发育来阻止阴道窦的形成。
