Figure 3. Post-natal development of sex cords in XY and XX Rspo1^KOSox9^cKO mice.

Immunofluorescence of SDMG1 (in red). Counterstain is DAPI (in blue). SDMG1 is expressed in Sertoli cells (XY controls a, f, k, p) and in follicular cells of growing ovaries as evidenced at P12 onwards (j, o, t). Sertoli cells are present and formed sex cords in both XY and XX Rspo1^KOSox9^cKO gonads, with more developing sex cords in XY Rspo1^KOSox9^cKO testis (c, h, m, r) in comparison to XX Rspo1^KOSox9^cKO ovotestis (d, i, n, s). At P12, the sex cords are fully developed in both XY (h) and XX (i) Rspo1^KOSox9^cKO mice. In XY Sox9^cKO (b, g, l, q) and XX control (e, j, o, t) gonads, ovarian follicles express SDMG1 at P12, P21 and P60. At these stages, SDMG1 is also expressed in the follicles of the XX double mutant ovotestes (see n) and in XY double mutant follicles when they develop (scale bars: 100 µm). XY (a, f, k, p) and XX (e, j, o, t) Rspo1^+/−; Sox9^flox/flox controls, XY Sox9^cKO gonads (b, g, l, q), XY (c, h, m, r) and XX (d, i, n, s) Rspo1^KO Sox9^cKO gonads respectively.