Endocrine Abstracts

Mice with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to a null mutation of cyp11b1, the gene encoding the steroidogenic enzyme 11β-hydroxylase, have low glucocorticoid levels, reduced adiposity and increased liver weight. It is notable that null mice are also glucose intolerant. Here, we have investigated these phenotypes in more detail. Plasma corticosterone levels were less responsive to restraint stress and cholesterol and triglyceride levels were not significantly different i...

Cell autonomous sex identity (CASI) of birds is the concept that sex-steroids have little or no effect on the development of secondary sexual characteristics in birds, and that sexual dimorphisms are determined by the sex-chromosome content of cells in individual tissues. In avian species males have a ZZ sex chromosome, while females are ZW. Sexual dimorphisms in chickens, such as muscle mass, comb and wattle size and hackles and spur development are believed to be determined ...