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Updated: May 8, 2026

Dissection of Larval Zebrafish Gonadal Tissue
Published on: April 26, 2017
Sex-specific gonadal and gene expression changes throughout development in fathead minnow
J K Leet1, K E Lesteberg, H L Schoenfuss
1Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., USA.
Abstract:
Although fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) are commonly used as a model fish in endocrine disruption studies, past studies have not characterized sex-specific baseline expression of genes involved in sex differentiation during development in this species. Using a sex-linked DNA marker to verify gender, we evaluated the expression over time of genes involved in sex differentiation (dmrt1, cyp19a, cyp17, star, esr1, ar) in developing fathead minnows (10-45 days post hatch). Evaluation of these molecular markers in combination with gender identification help us to better understand the mechanisms regulating sex differentiation in fathead minnows and how endocrine-disrupting chemicals may alter these processes.
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