1
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Hashimoto D, Fujimoto K, Kim SW, Lee YS, Nakata M, Suzuki K, Wada Y, Asamura S, Yamada G. Emerging structural and pathological analyses on the erectile organ, corpus cavernous containing sinusoids. Reprod Med Biol 2023; 22:e12539. [PMID: 37663955 PMCID: PMC10472535 DOI: 10.1002/rmb2.12539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The corpus cavernosum (CC) containing sinusoids plays fundamental roles for erection. Analysis of pathological changes in the erectile system is studied by recent experimental systems. Various in vitro models utilizing genital mesenchymal-derived cells and explant culture systems are summarized. Methods 3D reconstruction of section images of murine CC was created. Ectopic chondrogenesis in aged mouse CC was shown by a gene expression study revealing the prominent expression of Sox9. Various experimental strategies utilizing mesenchyme-derived primary cells and tissue explants are introduced. Main Findings Possible roles of Sox9 in chondrogenesis and its regulation by several signals are suggested. The unique character of genital mesenchyme is shown by various analyses of external genitalia (ExG) derived cells and explant cultures. Such strategies are also applied to the analysis of erectile contraction/relaxation responses to many signals and aging process. Conclusion Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the essential topics for the modern aged society. More comprehensive studies are necessary to reveal the nature of the erectile system by combining multiple cell culture strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiki Hashimoto
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Institute of Advanced MedicineWakayama Medical UniversityWakayamaJapan
- Department of Physiology and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of MedicineKindai UniversityOsakaJapan
| | - Kota Fujimoto
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Institute of Advanced MedicineWakayama Medical UniversityWakayamaJapan
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Graduate School of MedicineWakayama Medical UniversityWakayamaJapan
| | - Sang Woon Kim
- Department of Urology, Urological Science InstituteYonsei University College of MedicineSeoulSouth Korea
| | - Yong Seung Lee
- Department of Urology, Urological Science InstituteYonsei University College of MedicineSeoulSouth Korea
| | - Masanori Nakata
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of MedicineWakayama Medical UniversityWakayamaJapan
| | - Kentaro Suzuki
- Faculty of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of YamanashiYamanashiJapan
| | - Yoshitaka Wada
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Graduate School of MedicineWakayama Medical UniversityWakayamaJapan
| | - Shinichi Asamura
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Graduate School of MedicineWakayama Medical UniversityWakayamaJapan
| | - Gen Yamada
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Institute of Advanced MedicineWakayama Medical UniversityWakayamaJapan
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Graduate School of MedicineWakayama Medical UniversityWakayamaJapan
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2
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Folwell MJ, Sanders KL, Brennan PLR, Crowe-Riddell JM. First evidence of hemiclitores in snakes. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221702. [PMID: 36515117 PMCID: PMC9748774 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Female genitalia are conspicuously overlooked in comparison to their male counterparts, limiting our understanding of sexual reproduction across vertebrate lineages. This study is the first complete description of the clitoris (hemiclitores) in female snakes. We describe morphological variation in size and shape (n = 9 species, 4 families) that is potentially comparable to the male intromittent organs in squamate reptiles (hemipenes). Dissection, diffusible iodine contrast-enhanced micro-CT and histology revealed that, unlike lizard hemiclitores, the snake hemiclitores are non-eversible structures. The two individual hemiclitores are separated medially by connective tissue, forming a triangular structure that extends posteriorly. Histology of the hemiclitores in Australian death adders (Acanthophis antarcticus) showed erectile tissue and strands/bundles of nerves, but no spines (as is found in male hemipenes). These histological features suggest the snake hemiclitores have functional significance in mating and definitively show that the hemiclitores are not underdeveloped hemipenes or scent glands, which have been erroneously indicated in other studies. Our discovery supports that hemiclitores have been retained across squamates and provides preliminary evidence of differences in this structure among snake species, which can be used to further understand systematics, reproductive evolution and ecology across squamate reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan J. Folwell
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Kate L. Sanders
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | | | - Jenna M. Crowe-Riddell
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia,School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, VIC 3086, Australia,Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA,Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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3
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Folwell M, Sanders K, Crowe-Riddell J. The Squamate Clitoris: A Review and Directions for Future Research. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:icac056. [PMID: 35662336 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The clitoris is a part of the genitalia of female amniotes that typically functions to stimulate sensory arousal. It usually consists of a small organ that is dimorphic and homologous to the penis. The developing amniote embryo forms a genital tubule, then sex hormones initiate a developmental cascade to form either a penis or clitoris. In squamates (lizards and snakes) the genital tubule develops into a paired hemiphallus structure called the "hemiclitores" in the female and the "hemipenes" in the male. The complex evolution of squamate hemipenes has been extensively researched since early discoveries in the 1800's, and this has uncovered huge diversity in hemipenis size, shape, and ornamentation (e.g., protrusions of spines, hooks, chalices, cups). In contrast, the squamate hemiclitoris has been conspicuously under investigated, and the studies that describe this anatomy are fraught with inconsistences. This paper aims to clarify the current state of knowledge of the squamate hemiclitoris, providing a foundation for further research on its morphology and functional role. We show that while several studies have described the gross anatomy of hemiclitores in lizards, comparative information is entirely lacking for snakes. Several papers cite earlier authors as having reported discoveries of the snake hemiclitores in vipers and colubrid snakes. However, our examination of this reveals only erroneous reports of hemiclitores in snakes and shows that these stem from misinterpretations of the true anatomy or species involved. An especially problematic source of confusion is the presence of intersex individuals in some snake populations; these form reproductively functional ovaries and a single hemipenis, with the latter sometimes mistaken for a hemiclitoris (the intersex hemipenis is usually smaller and less spinous than the male hemipenis). Further research is recommended to identify the defining anatomical features of the squamate hemiclitores. Such studies will form a vital basis of future comparative analyses of variation in female genitalia in squamates and other amniotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Folwell
- The University of Adelaide, Faculty of Biological Science
| | - Kate Sanders
- University of Adelaide, Faculty of Biological Science
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4
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Pavlicev M, Herdina AN, Wagner G. Female Genital Variation Far Exceeds that of Male Genitalia: A Review of Comparative Anatomy of Clitoris and the Female Lower Reproductive Tract in Theria. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:icac026. [PMID: 35524696 PMCID: PMC9494530 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A review of the literature on the anatomy of the lower female genital tract in therian mammals reveals, contrary to the general perception, a large amount of inter-specific variation. Variation in female external genitalia is anatomically more radical than that in the male genitalia. It includes the absence of whole anatomical units, like the cervix in many Xenarthra, or the absence of the urogenital sinus (UGS), as well as the complete spatial separation of the external clitoral parts from the genital canal (either vagina or UGS). A preliminary phylogenetic analysis shows two patterns. Some morphs are unique to early branching clades, like the absence of the cervix, while others arose multiple times independently, like the flattening out or loss of the UGS, or the extreme elongation of the clitoris. Based on available information, the ancestral eutherian configuration of the external female genitalia included a cervix, a single vaginal segment, a tubular UGS, and an unperforated clitoris close to the entrance of the genital canal. The evidence for either bilobed or unitary glandes clitorides is ambivalent. Despite the wealth of information available, many gaps in knowledge remain and will require a community-wide effort to come to a more robust model of female genital evolutionary patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihaela Pavlicev
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Nele Herdina
- Division of Clinical Virology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Günter Wagner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Yale Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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5
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Vijendravarma RK, Leopold P. Non‐visual cues and indirect strategies that enable discrimination of asymmetric mates. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8790. [PMID: 35386879 PMCID: PMC8975790 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Kumar Vijendravarma
- Institut Curie – Centre de Recherche, Genetics and Developmental Biology Unit INSERM U934 / CNRS UMR3215 Paris France
| | - Pierre Leopold
- Institut Curie – Centre de Recherche, Genetics and Developmental Biology Unit INSERM U934 / CNRS UMR3215 Paris France
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6
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Armfield BA, Cohn MJ. Single cell transcriptomic analysis of external genitalia reveals complex and sexually dimorphic cell populations in the early genital tubercle. Dev Biol 2021; 477:145-154. [PMID: 34033822 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
External genital organs are among the most recognizable sexually dimorphic characters. The penis and clitoris develop from the embryonic genital tubercle, an outgrowth at the anterior margin of the cloaca that undergoes an extensive period of development in male and female embryos prior to the onset of sexual differentiation. In mice, differentiation into the penis and clitoris begins around embryonic day (E)15.5. Current knowledge of cell types that comprise the genital tubercle is limited to a few studies that have fate mapped derivatives of endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. Here we use single cell transcriptomics to characterize the cell populations in the genital tubercles of male and female mouse embryos at E14.5, approximately 24 h before the onset of sexual differentiation, and we present the first comprehensive atlas of single-cell gene expression during external genital development. Clustering analyses and annotation using marker genes shows 19 distinct cell populations in E14.5 genital tubercles. Mapping of cell clusters to anatomical locations using in situ gene expression patterns revealed granularity of cellular specializations and positional identities. Although E14.5 precedes sexually dimorphic morphogenesis of the genital tubercle, comparative analysis of males and females identified sexual dimorphisms at the single cell level, including male-specific cell clusters with transcriptional signatures of smooth muscle and bone progenitors, both of which are known to be sexually dimorphic in adult genitalia, as well as immune cells. These results provide a new resource for classification of external genital cell types based on gene expression profiles and reveal sex-specific cellular specializations in the early genital tubercle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke A Armfield
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Martin J Cohn
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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7
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Fenelon JC, McElrea C, Shaw G, Evans AR, Pyne M, Johnston SD, Renfree MB. The Unique Penile Morphology of the Short-Beaked Echidna, Tachyglossus aculeatus. Sex Dev 2021; 15:262-271. [PMID: 33915542 DOI: 10.1159/000515145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Monotremes diverged from therian mammal ancestors approximately 184 million years ago and have a number of novel reproductive characteristics. One in particular is their penile morphology. There are differences between echidna and platypus phalluses, but both are somewhat similar in structure to the reptilian phallus. The echidna penis consists of 4 rosette glans, each of which contains a termination of the quadrifurcate urethra, but it appears that only 2 of the 4 glans become erect at any one time. Despite this, only a few historical references describe the structure of the echidna penis and none provides an explanation for the mechanisms of unilateral ejaculation. This study confirmed that the echidna penis contains many of the same overall structures and morphology as other mammalian penises and a number of features homologous with reptiles. The corpus cavernosum is well supplied with blood, extends up to the base of the glans penis and is primarily responsible for erection. However, the echidna possesses 2 distinct corpora spongiosa separated by a septum, each of which surround the urethra only distal to the initial urethral bifurcation in the glans penis. Together with the bifurcation of the main penile artery, this provides a mechanism by which blood flow could be directed to only one corpus spongiosum at a time to maintain an open urethra that supplies 2 of the 4 glans to facilitate unilateral ejaculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane C Fenelon
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Caleb McElrea
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Geoff Shaw
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alistair R Evans
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Pyne
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Currumbin, Queensland, Australia
| | - Stephen D Johnston
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
| | - Marilyn B Renfree
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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8
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Abstract
The Frankfurt specimen of Psittacosaurus sp. (SMF R 4970) from the Early Cretaceous Jehol deposits of Liaoning (Figure S1) exhibits exceptional preservation of scale-clad integument1. Preservation of colour patterns and countershading allowed a detailed reconstruction of this individual's physical appearance. It was previously noted that the cloacal region was preserved2, but its detailed anatomy was incorrectly reconstructed. We show here that the fine anatomy of the vent is remarkably well preserved and can be retrodeformed to illustrate its three-dimensional nature. The vent's scale anatomy and pigmentation are distinct from adjacent body regions, and although its anatomy does not reveal much information about the ecology, or sex, of this dinosaur, it suggests possible roles for visual and olfactory signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Vinther
- Schools of Biological Sciences and Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK.
| | - Robert Nicholls
- Paleocreations, 35 Hopps Road, Kingswood, South Gloucester BS15 9QQ, UK
| | - Diane A Kelly
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Life Science Laboratories, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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9
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McKenna KZ, Wagner GP, Cooper KL. A developmental perspective of homology and evolutionary novelty. Curr Top Dev Biol 2021; 141:1-38. [PMID: 33602485 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2020.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The development and evolution of multicellular body plans is complex. Many distinct organs and body parts must be reproduced at each generation, and those that are traceable over long time scales are considered homologous. Among the most pressing and least understood phenomena in evolutionary biology is the mode by which new homologs, or "novelties" are introduced to the body plan and whether the developmental changes associated with such evolution deserve special treatment. In this chapter, we address the concepts of homology and evolutionary novelty through the lens of development. We present a series of case studies, within insects and vertebrates, from which we propose a developmental model of multicellular organ identity. With this model in hand, we make predictions regarding the developmental evolution of body plans and highlight the need for more integrative analysis of developing systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Z McKenna
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Günter P Wagner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.
| | - Kimberly L Cooper
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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10
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Gonçalves GL, Medina DS, Bohorquez Grondona KE, Quagliatto Santos AL, Bohórquez Mahecha GA. Topographic Relationships of the Peritoneal Canal of Testudines, Crocodylia, and Aves: Evolutionary Implications. SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-18-00061.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Leite Gonçalves
- Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Douglas Sales Medina
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Laboratório de Biotecnologia e Marcadores Moleculares, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Katerin Elena Bohorquez Grondona
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n, São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - André Luiz Quagliatto Santos
- Hospital veterinário, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. João Naves de Ávila 2121, Campus Santa Mônica, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Germán Arturo Bohórquez Mahecha
- Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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11
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Stadler HS, Peters CA, Sturm RM, Baker LA, Best CJM, Bird VY, Geller F, Hoshizaki DK, Knudsen TB, Norton JM, Romao RLP, Cohn MJ. Meeting report on the NIDDK/AUA Workshop on Congenital Anomalies of External Genitalia: challenges and opportunities for translational research. J Pediatr Urol 2020; 16:791-804. [PMID: 33097421 PMCID: PMC7885182 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2020.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Congenital anomalies of the external genitalia (CAEG) are a prevalent and serious public health concern with lifelong impacts on the urinary function, sexual health, fertility, tumor development, and psychosocial wellbeing of affected individuals. Complications of treatment are frequent, and data reflecting long-term outcomes in adulthood are limited. To identify a path forward to improve treatments and realize the possibility of preventing CAEG, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the American Urological Association convened researchers from a range of disciplines to coordinate research efforts to fully understand the different etiologies of these common conditions, subsequent variation in clinical phenotypes, and best practices for long term surgical success. Meeting participants concluded that a central data hub for clinical evaluations, including collection of DNA samples from patients and their parents, and short interviews to determine familial penetrance (small pedigrees), would accelerate research in this field. Such a centralized datahub will advance efforts to develop detailed multi-dimensional phenotyping and will enable access to genome sequence analyses and associated metadata to define the genetic bases for these conditions. Inclusion of tissue samples and integration of clinical studies with basic research using human cells and animal models will advance efforts to identify the developmental mechanisms that are disrupted during development and will add cellular and molecular granularity to phenotyping CAEG. While the discussion focuses heavily on hypospadias, this can be seen as a potential template for other conditions in the realm of CAEG, including cryptorchidism or the exstrophy-epispadias complex. Taken together with long-term clinical follow-up, these data could inform surgical choices and improve likelihood for long-term success.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Scott Stadler
- Department of Skeletal Biology, Shriners Hospital for Children, 3101 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Portland, 97239, OR, USA.
| | - Craig A Peters
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, 75390-9110, TX, USA; Pediatric Urology, Children's Health System Texas, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, 75390, TX, USA.
| | - Renea M Sturm
- Department of Urology, Division of Pediatric Urology, University of California Los Angeles, 200 Medical Plaza #170, Los Angeles, 90095, CA, USA
| | - Linda A Baker
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, 75390-9110, TX, USA
| | - Carolyn J M Best
- American Urological Association, 1000 Corporate Boulevard, Linthicum, 21090, MD, USA
| | - Victoria Y Bird
- Department of Urology, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, FL, USA; National Medical Association and Research Group, 5745 SW 75th Street, #507, Gainesville, 32608, FL, USA
| | - Frank Geller
- Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, 5 Artillerivej, Copenhagen S, DK-2300, Denmark
| | - Deborah K Hoshizaki
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA
| | - Thomas B Knudsen
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Research Triangle Park, 27711, NC, USA
| | - Jenna M Norton
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA
| | - Rodrigo L P Romao
- Departments of Surgery and Urology, IWK Health Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Martin J Cohn
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Department of Biology, And UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, PO Box 103610, Gainesville, 32610, FL, USA.
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12
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Beatty AE, Schwartz TS. Gene expression of the IGF hormones and IGF binding proteins across time and tissues in a model reptile. Physiol Genomics 2020; 52:423-434. [PMID: 32776803 PMCID: PMC7509249 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00059.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The insulin and insulin-like signaling (IIS) network regulates cellular processes including pre- and postnatal growth, cellular development, wound healing, reproduction, and longevity. Despite their importance in the physiology of vertebrates, the study of the specific functions of the top regulators of the IIS network, insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs), has been mostly limited to a few model organisms. To expand our understanding of this network, we performed quantitative gene expression of IGF hormones in liver and qualitative expression of IGFBPs across tissues and developmental stages in a model reptile, the brown anole lizard (Anolis sagrei). We found that lizards express IGF2 across all life stages (preoviposition embryos to adulthood) and at a higher level than IGF1, which is opposite to patterns seen in laboratory rodents but similar to those seen in humans and other vertebrate models. IGFBP expression was ubiquitous across tissues (brain, gonad, heart, liver, skeletal muscle, tail, and regenerating tail) in adults, apart from IGFBP5, which was variable. These findings provide an essential foundation for further developing the anole lizard as a physiological and biomedical reptile model, as well as expanding our understanding of the function of the IIS network across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby E Beatty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
| | - Tonia S Schwartz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
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13
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Griffing AH, Sanger TJ, Daza JD, Nielsen SV, Pinto BJ, Stanley EL, Gamble T. Embryonic development of a parthenogenetic vertebrate, the mourning gecko (
Lepidodactylus lugubris
). Dev Dyn 2019; 248:1070-1090. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron H. Griffing
- Department of Biological SciencesMarquette University Milwaukee Wisconsin
| | - Thomas J. Sanger
- Department of BiologyLoyola University in Chicago Chicago Illinois
| | - Juan D. Daza
- Department of Biological SciencesSam Houston State University Huntsville Texas
| | - Stuart V. Nielsen
- Department of HerpetologyFlorida Museum of Natural History Gainesville Florida
| | - Brendan J. Pinto
- Department of Biological SciencesMarquette University Milwaukee Wisconsin
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Department of HerpetologyFlorida Museum of Natural History Gainesville Florida
| | - Tony Gamble
- Department of Biological SciencesMarquette University Milwaukee Wisconsin
- Milwaukee Public Museum Milwaukee Wisconsin
- Bell Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of Minnesota Saint Paul Minnesota
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14
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Tarazona OA, Lopez DH, Slota LA, Cohn MJ. Evolution of limb development in cephalopod mollusks. eLife 2019; 8:43828. [PMID: 31210127 PMCID: PMC6581508 DOI: 10.7554/elife.43828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cephalopod mollusks evolved numerous anatomical novelties, including arms and tentacles, but little is known about the developmental mechanisms underlying cephalopod limb evolution. Here we show that all three axes of cuttlefish limbs are patterned by the same signaling networks that act in vertebrates and arthropods, although they evolved limbs independently. In cuttlefish limb buds, Hedgehog is expressed anteriorly. Posterior transplantation of Hedgehog-expressing cells induced mirror-image limb duplications. Bmp and Wnt signals, which establish dorsoventral polarity in vertebrate and arthropod limbs, are similarly polarized in cuttlefish. Inhibition of Bmp2/4 dorsally caused ectopic expression of Notum, which marks the ventral sucker field, and ectopic sucker development. Cuttlefish also show proximodistal regionalization of Hth, Exd, Dll, Dac, Sp8/9, and Wnt expression, which delineates arm and tentacle sucker fields. These results suggest that cephalopod limbs evolved by parallel activation of a genetic program for appendage development that was present in the bilaterian common ancestor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar A Tarazona
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States.,Department of Biology, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Davys H Lopez
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Leslie A Slota
- Department of Biology, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Martin J Cohn
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States.,Department of Biology, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
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15
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Iungman JL, Molinero MN, Simoncini MS, Piña CI. Embryological development of
Salvator merianae
(Squamata: Teiidae). Genesis 2019; 57:e23280. [DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Josefina L. Iungman
- Proyecto Yacaré ‐ Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo VertebradosFacultad de Humanidades y Ciencias‐Universidad Nacional del Litoral/Ministerio de Medio Ambiente Santa Fe Santa Fe Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas‐Provincia de Entre Ríos‐Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos). Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología Diamante Entre Ríos Argentina
| | - María N. Molinero
- Proyecto Yacaré ‐ Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo VertebradosFacultad de Humanidades y Ciencias‐Universidad Nacional del Litoral/Ministerio de Medio Ambiente Santa Fe Santa Fe Argentina
| | - Melina S. Simoncini
- Proyecto Yacaré ‐ Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo VertebradosFacultad de Humanidades y Ciencias‐Universidad Nacional del Litoral/Ministerio de Medio Ambiente Santa Fe Santa Fe Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas‐Provincia de Entre Ríos‐Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos). Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología Diamante Entre Ríos Argentina
| | - Carlos I. Piña
- Proyecto Yacaré ‐ Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo VertebradosFacultad de Humanidades y Ciencias‐Universidad Nacional del Litoral/Ministerio de Medio Ambiente Santa Fe Santa Fe Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas‐Provincia de Entre Ríos‐Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos). Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología Diamante Entre Ríos Argentina
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16
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Developmental asynchrony and antagonism of sex determination pathways in a lizard with temperature-induced sex reversal. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14892. [PMID: 30291276 PMCID: PMC6173690 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33170-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate sex differentiation follows a conserved suite of developmental events: the bipotential gonads differentiate and shortly thereafter sex specific traits become dimorphic. However, this may not apply to squamates, a diverse vertebrate lineage comprising of many species with thermosensitive sexual development. Of the three species with data on the relative timing of gonad differentiation and genital dimorphism, the females of two (Niveoscincus ocellatus and Barisia imbricata) exhibit a phase of temporary pseudohermaphroditism or TPH (gonads have differentiated well before genital dimorphism). We report a third example of TPH in Pogona vitticeps, an agamid with temperature-induced male to female sex reversal. These findings suggest that for female squamates, genital and gonad development may not be closely synchronised, so that TPH may be common. We further observed a high frequency of ovotestes, a usually rare gonadal phenotype characterised by a mix of male and female structures, exclusively associated with temperature-induced sex reversal. We propose that ovotestes are evidence of a period of antagonism between male and female sex-determining pathways during sex reversal. Female sexual development in squamates is considerably more complex than has been appreciated, providing numerous avenues for future exploration of the genetic and hormonal cues that govern sexual development.
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17
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Quipildor M, Quinteros A, Lobo F. Structure, variation, and systematic implications of the hemipenes of liolaemid lizards (Reptilia: Liolaemidae). CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The structure of copulatory organs is widely used in systematics for both differentiating species and for studying phylogenetic relationships. We describe the hemipenes of 42 species belonging to the genus Liolaemus, representing most of their internal groups. We reported 42 characters, the majority not published previously. We constructed a metatree based on previously proposed phylogenetic studies and optimized the hemipenial characters in this topology. Among the most informative characters are presence or absence of flounces or calyces on the sulcate face, ornamentation of the apex, presence or absence of an asulcate face prominence, and presence of a thickening on the proximal region of the asulcate face. Furthermore, we performed a phylogenetic analysis exclusively with the hemipenial characters, not with the intention of making a phylogeny based on this single set of characters, but rather to demonstrate their significance for the reconstruction of relationships in Liolaemus. The obtained results show that the main clades are recovered. We also compared the hemipenial morphology between closely related species to evaluate its taxonomic importance. We conclude that in Liolaemus, the hemipenes can be used both for the differentiation of species and to provide additional evidence for establishing their phylogenetic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Quipildor
- IBIGEO (Instituto Bio y Geociencias del NOA). CONICET–UNSa. 9 de Julio 14. Rosario de Lerma, CP 4405. Salta, Argentina
- IBIGEO (Instituto Bio y Geociencias del NOA). CONICET–UNSa. 9 de Julio 14. Rosario de Lerma, CP 4405. Salta, Argentina
| | - A.S. Quinteros
- IBIGEO (Instituto Bio y Geociencias del NOA). CONICET–UNSa. 9 de Julio 14. Rosario de Lerma, CP 4405. Salta, Argentina
- IBIGEO (Instituto Bio y Geociencias del NOA). CONICET–UNSa. 9 de Julio 14. Rosario de Lerma, CP 4405. Salta, Argentina
| | - F. Lobo
- IBIGEO (Instituto Bio y Geociencias del NOA). CONICET–UNSa. 9 de Julio 14. Rosario de Lerma, CP 4405. Salta, Argentina
- IBIGEO (Instituto Bio y Geociencias del NOA). CONICET–UNSa. 9 de Julio 14. Rosario de Lerma, CP 4405. Salta, Argentina
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18
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Guerra-Fuentes RA, Costa JCL, Missassi AFR, Prudente ALDC. Muscular evolution of hemipenis in Imantodini snakes (Squamata: Dipsadidae). Zool J Linn Soc 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Arturo Guerra-Fuentes
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Campus de Pesquisa, Terra Firme, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - João Carlos L Costa
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Campus de Pesquisa, Terra Firme, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Alexandre F R Missassi
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Campus de Pesquisa, Terra Firme, Belém, Pará, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Biodiversidade e Evolução, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Campus de Pesquisa, Terra Firme, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Ana Lúcia Da Costa Prudente
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Campus de Pesquisa, Terra Firme, Belém, Pará, Brazil
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19
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Whiteley SL, Holleley CE, Ruscoe WA, Castelli M, Whitehead DL, Lei J, Georges A, Weisbecker V. Sex determination mode does not affect body or genital development of the central bearded dragon ( Pogona vitticeps). EvoDevo 2017; 8:25. [PMID: 29225770 PMCID: PMC5716226 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-017-0087-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The development of male- or female-specific phenotypes in squamates is typically controlled by either temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) or chromosome-based genetic sex determination (GSD). However, while sex determination is a major switch in individual phenotypic development, it is unknownhow evolutionary transitions between GSD and TSD might impact on the evolution of squamate phenotypes, particularly the fast-evolving and diverse genitalia. Here, we take the unique opportunity of studying the impact of both sex determination mechanisms on the embryological development of the central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps). This is possible because of the transitional sex determination system of this species, in which genetically male individuals reverse sex at high incubation temperatures. This can trigger the evolutionary transition of GSD to TSD in a single generation, making P. vitticeps an ideal model organism for comparing the effects of both sex determination processes in the same species. Results We conducted four incubation experiments on 265 P. vitticeps eggs, covering two temperature regimes ("normal" at 28 °C and "sex reversing" at 36 °C) and the two maternal sexual genotypes (concordant ZW females or sex-reversed ZZ females). From this, we provide the first detailed staging system for the species, with a focus on genital and limb development. This was augmented by a new sex chromosome identification methodology for P. vitticeps that is non-destructive to the embryo. We found a strong correlation between embryo age and embryo stage. Aside from faster growth in 36 °C treatments, body and external genital development was entirely unperturbed by temperature, sex reversal or maternal sexual genotype. Unexpectedly, all females developed hemipenes (the genital phenotype of adult male P. vitticeps), which regress close to hatching. Conclusions The tight correlation between embryo age and embryo stage allows the precise targeting of specific developmental periods in the emerging field of molecular research on P. vitticeps. The stability of genital development in all treatments suggests that the two sex-determining mechanisms have little impact on genital evolution, despite their known role in triggering genital development. Hemipenis retention in developing female P. vitticeps, together with frequent occurrences of hemipenis-like structures during development in other squamate species, raises the possibility of a bias towards hemipenis formation in the ancestral developmental programme for squamate genitalia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Whiteley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia.,Australian National Wildlife Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT Australia.,Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT Australia
| | - Clare E Holleley
- Australian National Wildlife Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT Australia.,Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT Australia
| | - Wendy A Ruscoe
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT Australia
| | - Meghan Castelli
- Australian National Wildlife Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT Australia.,Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT Australia
| | - Darryl L Whitehead
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Juan Lei
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT Australia
| | - Vera Weisbecker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
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20
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Klaczko J, Gilman CA, Irschick DJ. Hemipenis shape and hindlimb size are highly correlated in Anolis lizards. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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21
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Reorganization of mammalian body wall patterning with cloacal septation. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9182. [PMID: 28835612 PMCID: PMC5569103 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09359-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Septation of the cloaca is a unique mammalian adaptation that required a novel reorganization of the perineum–the caudal portion of the trunk body wall not associated with the hindlimb. Fish, the basal vertebrates, separate ventrolateral body wall musculature of the trunk into two discrete layers, while most tetrapods expand this pattern in the thorax and abdomen into four. Mammals, the only vertebrate group to divide the cloaca into urogenital and anorectal portions, exhibit complex muscle morphology in the perineum. Here we describe how perineal morphology in a broad sample of mammals fits into patterning of trunk musculature as an extension of the four-layer ventrolateral muscular patterning of the thorax and abdomen. We show that each perineal muscle layer has a specific function related to structures formed by cloacal septation. From superficial to deep, there is the subcutaneous layer, which regulates orifice closure, the external layer, which supplements both erectile and micturition function, the internal layer, which provides primary micturition and defecation regulation, and the transversus layer, which provides structural support for pelvic organs. We elucidate how the four-layer body wall pattern, restricted to the non-mammal tetrapod thorax and abdomen, is observed in the mammalian perineum to regulate function of unique perineal structures derived from cloacal septation.
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22
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Andonov K, Natchev N, Kornilev YV, Tzankov N. Does Sexual Selection Influence Ornamentation of Hemipenes in Old World Snakes? Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2017. [PMID: 28622447 DOI: 10.1002/ar.23622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated and documented the morphology of the male copulatory organs (hemipenes) in fifteen wide-ranging snake species. The species represent four families (Boidae, Colubridae, Lamprophiidae, and Viperidae) and ten genera. We applied the same preparation techniques for all species, successfully everting and expanding the organs completely. The detailed description of the general morphology of the male copulatory organs was based on 31 specimens. Our data were compared with published observations and we point out some incorrectly described details in previous investigations. We provide the first description of the hemipenial morphology for three ophidian species (Elaphe sauromates, Telescopus fallax, and Malpolon insignitus). In addition to the morphological characteristics of the hemipenes presented in the research, we propose the adoption of a standardized index describing the hemipenial proportions. The immense variation in hemipenial morphology presupposes its dynamic evolution, but we suggest that many of the significant structures observed here may have escaped previous researchers due to differing methodologies. Some of the highly ornamented morphologies that we describe are consistent with a locking mechanism during copulation. However, other morphologies may relate to the variety of mating behaviors observed. As a result, we propose that sexual selection is the major driver affecting the hemipenial ornamentation in snakes. Anat Rec, 300:1680-1694, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kostadin Andonov
- Department of Zoology and Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", Sofia, 1164, Bulgaria
| | - Nikolay Natchev
- Department of Integrative Zoology, Vienna University, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.,Faculty of Natural Science, Shumen University, Universitetska 115, Shumen, 9700, Bulgaria
| | - Yurii V Kornilev
- Department of Integrative Zoology, Vienna University, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.,Vertebrates Department, National Museum of Natural History, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd, Sofia, 1000, Bulgaria
| | - Nikolay Tzankov
- Vertebrates Department, National Museum of Natural History, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd, Sofia, 1000, Bulgaria
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23
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Previatto DM, Gonçalves GL, Ortiz MC, de Melo-Soares CD, Posso SR. Morphology of the copulatory organ in Ortalis canicollis
(Aves: Cracidae) and early evolution of the phallus in birds. ACTA ZOOL-STOCKHOLM 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/azo.12191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Diego Matiussi Previatto
- Departamento de Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Belo Horizonte Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Gustavo Leite Gonçalves
- Departamento de Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Belo Horizonte Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Marcela Carvalho Ortiz
- Departamento de Zoologia; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Belo Horizonte Minas Gerais Brazil
| | | | - Sérgio Roberto Posso
- Laboratório de Ecologia; Sistemática e Conservação de Aves Neotropicais; CPTL; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul; Três Lagoas Mato Grosso do Sul Brazil
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24
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Sanger TJ, Kircher BK. Model Clades Versus Model Species: Anolis Lizards as an Integrative Model of Anatomical Evolution. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1650:285-297. [PMID: 28809029 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7216-6_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Anolis lizards , known for their replicated patterns of morphological diversification, are widely studied in the fields of evolution and ecology. As a textbook example of adaptive radiation, this genus has supported decades of intense study in natural history, behavior, morphological evolution, and systematics. Following the publication of the A. carolinensis genome, research on Anolis lizards has expanded into new areas, toward obtaining an understanding the developmental and genetic bases of anole diversity. Here, we discuss recent progress in these areas and the burgeoning methodological toolkit that has been used to elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying anatomical variation in this group. We also highlight the growing number of studies that have used A. carolinensis as the representative squamate in large-scale comparison of amniote evolution and development . Finally, we address one of the largest technical challenges biologists are facing in making Anolis a model for integrative studies of ecology, evolution, development , and genetics, the development of ex-ovo culturing techniques that have broad utility. Ultimately, with the power to ask questions across all biological scales in this diverse genus full, anoles are rapidly becoming a uniquely integrative and powerful biological system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Sanger
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60660, USA.
| | - Bonnie K Kircher
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32601, USA
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25
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Gredler ML. Developmental and Evolutionary Origins of the Amniote Phallus. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:694-704. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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26
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Kelly DA, Moore BC. The Morphological Diversity of Intromittent Organs: An Introduction to the Symposium. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:630-4. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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27
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Moore BC, Spears D, Mascari T, Kelly DA. Morphological characteristics regulating phallic glans engorgement in the American alligator. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:657-68. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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28
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Kelly DA. Intromittent Organ Morphology and Biomechanics: Defining the Physical Challenges of Copulation. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:705-14. [PMID: 27252215 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Intromittent organs-structures that place gametes into a mate for internal fertilization-evolved many times within the animal kingdom, and are remarkable for their extravagant morphological diversity. Some taxa build intromittent organs from tissues with reproductive system antecedents, but others copulate with modified fins, tentacles, or legs: anatomically, these structures can include combinations of stiff tissues, extensible tissues, and muscle. Their mechanical behavior during copulation is also diverse: males in some taxa reorient or protrude genital tissues, others inflate them and change their shape, while still other taxa combine these strategies. For these animals, the ability to ready an intromittent organ for copulation and physically interact with a mate's genital tissues is critical to reproductive success, and may be tied to aspects of postcopulatory selection such as sperm competition and sexual conflict. But we know little about their mechanical behavior during copulation. This review surveys mechanical strategies that animals may use for intromittent organ function during intromission and copulation, and discusses how they may perform when their tissues experience stresses in tension, compression, bending, torsion, or shear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane A Kelly
- *Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Tobin Hall, 135 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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29
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30
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Infante CR, Mihala AG, Park S, Wang JS, Johnson KK, Lauderdale JD, Menke DB. Shared Enhancer Activity in the Limbs and Phallus and Functional Divergence of a Limb-Genital cis-Regulatory Element in Snakes. Dev Cell 2015; 35:107-19. [PMID: 26439399 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2015.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2014] [Revised: 07/24/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The amniote phallus and limbs differ dramatically in their morphologies but share patterns of signaling and gene expression in early development. Thus far, the extent to which genital and limb transcriptional networks also share cis-regulatory elements has remained unexplored. We show that many limb enhancers are retained in snake genomes, suggesting that these elements may function in non-limb tissues. Consistent with this, our analysis of cis-regulatory activity in mice and Anolis lizards reveals that patterns of enhancer activity in embryonic limbs and genitalia overlap heavily. In mice, deletion of HLEB, an enhancer of Tbx4, produces defects in hindlimbs and genitalia, establishing the importance of this limb-genital enhancer for development of these different appendages. Further analyses demonstrate that the HLEB of snakes has lost hindlimb enhancer function while retaining genital activity. Our findings identify roles for Tbx4 in genital development and highlight deep similarities in cis-regulatory activity between limbs and genitalia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos R Infante
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | | | - Sungdae Park
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Jialiang S Wang
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Kenji K Johnson
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - James D Lauderdale
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Douglas B Menke
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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31
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Sanger TJ, Gredler ML, Cohn MJ. Resurrecting embryos of the tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus, to resolve vertebrate phallus evolution. Biol Lett 2015; 11:20150694. [PMID: 26510679 PMCID: PMC4650183 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The breadth of anatomical and functional diversity among amniote external genitalia has led to uncertainty about the evolutionary origins of the phallus. In several lineages, including the tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus, adults lack an intromittent phallus, raising the possibility that the amniote ancestor lacked external genitalia and reproduced using cloacal apposition. Accordingly, a phallus may have evolved multiple times in amniotes. However, similarities in development across amniote external genitalia suggest that the phallus may have a single evolutionary origin. To resolve the evolutionary history of amniote genitalia, we performed three-dimensional reconstruction of Victorian era tuatara embryos to look for embryological evidence of external genital initiation. Despite the absence of an intromittent phallus in adult tuataras, our observations show that tuatara embryos develop genital anlagen. This illustrates that there is a conserved developmental stage of external genital development among all amniotes and suggests a single evolutionary origin of amniote external genitalia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Sanger
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, PO Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Marissa L Gredler
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, PO Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Martin J Cohn
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, PO Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA Department of Biology, University of Florida, PO Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Florida, PO Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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32
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Martínez-Torres M, Rubio-Morales B, Piña-Amado JJ, Luis J. Hemipenes in females of the mexican viviparous lizardBarisia imbricata(Squamata: Anguidae): an example of heterochrony in sexual development. Evol Dev 2015; 17:270-7. [DOI: 10.1111/ede.12134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martín Martínez-Torres
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción; Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Avenida de los Barrios #1, Los Reyes Iztacala A. P. 314 Tlalnepantla Estado de México CP 54090 México
| | - Beatriz Rubio-Morales
- Laboratorio de Herpetología (Vivario); Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Los Reyes Iztacala AP 314 Tlalnepantla Estado de México CP 54090 México
| | - José Juan Piña-Amado
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción; Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Avenida de los Barrios #1, Los Reyes Iztacala A. P. 314 Tlalnepantla Estado de México CP 54090 México
| | - Juana Luis
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción; Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Avenida de los Barrios #1, Los Reyes Iztacala A. P. 314 Tlalnepantla Estado de México CP 54090 México
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Renfree MB, Schmid M. Evolution of external genital development. Preface. Sex Dev 2015; 9:5. [PMID: 25591793 DOI: 10.1159/000371406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Herrera AM, Cohn MJ. Embryonic origin and compartmental organization of the external genitalia. Sci Rep 2014; 4:6896. [PMID: 25372631 PMCID: PMC4894444 DOI: 10.1038/srep06896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Accepted: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Genital malformations occur at a high frequency in humans, affecting ~1:250 live births. The molecular mechanisms of external genital development are beginning to be identified; however, the origin of cells that give rise to external genitalia is unknown. Here we use cell lineage analysis to show that the genital tubercle, the precursor of the penis and clitoris, arises from two populations of progenitor cells that originate at the lateral edges of the embryo, at the level of the posterior hindlimb buds and anterior tail. During body wall closure, the left and right external genital progenitor pools are brought together at the ventral midline, where they form the paired genital swellings that give rise to the genital tubercle. Unexpectedly, the left and right external genital progenitor pools form two lineage-restricted compartments in the phallus. Together with previous lineage studies of limb buds, our results indicate that, at the pelvic level, the early lateral mesoderm is regionalized from medial to lateral into dorsal limb, ventral limb, and external genital progenitor fields. These findings have implications for the evolutionary diversification of external genitalia and for the association between external genital defects and disruption of body wall closure, as seen in the epispadias-extrophy complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Herrera
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, P.O. Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Martin J Cohn
- 1] Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, P.O. Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA [2] Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, P.O. Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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