| Experiment Id | E-GEOD-12942 | Series Id | GSE12942 |
| Name | Foxl2 functions in sex determination and histogenesis throughout mouse ovary development, analyzed by Agilent arrays | Experiment Type | transcription profiling by array |
| Study Type | WT vs. Mutant | Source | ArrayExpress |
| Curation Date | 2017-09-22 |
| description | Partial loss of function of the transcription factor FOXL2 leads to premature ovarian failure in women. In animal models, Foxl2 is required for maintenance, and possibly induction, of female sex determination independently of other critical genes, i.e., Rspo1 and Wnt4. Here we report expression profiling of mouse ovaries that lack Foxl2 alone or in combination with Wnt4 or Kit/c-Kit, to identify ovarian targets of Foxl2 that, along with some testis genes, were dysregulated during embryonic development. Loss of one copy of Foxl2 revealed strong gene dosage sensitivity, with molecular anomalies that were milder but resembled ovaries lacking both Foxl2 alleles. Furthermore, a Foxl2 transgene disrupted embryonic testis differentiation and increased the levels of key female markers. The results, including a comprehensive principal component analysis of published microarray datasets 1) support the proposal of dose-dependent Foxl2 function and anti-testis action throughout ovary differentiation; and 2) identify candidate genes for a role in sex determination independent of FOXL2 (notably, the transcription factor, ZBTB7C) and in the generation of the ovarian reserve downstream of it (e.g., the cadherin-domain protein CLSTN2, or the sphingomyelin synthase, SGMS2). The gene inventory provides a framework to analyze the genetic bases of ovarian development and female fertility. Keywords: reference design Comparison of Foxl2+/+,+/- and -/- whole ovaries at 2 timepoints delineating follicle formation |
