Developmental changes of steroidogenic enzyme activities in the embryonic gonads of the chicken: the sexual...

Steroidogenic enzyme activities in the left ovary and the testes of 9- to 15-day-old chicken embryos were measured, and development of the activities was compared between sexes. Activity of delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase coupled with delta 5-delta 4 isomerase in the ovary and in the testis was comparable, and did not change throughout the period examined. Activity of 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 beta-HSD) in the ovary was similar to or higher than that in the testis, depending on substrates employed. In both gonads, 17 beta-HSD activity did not change or tended to decrease from 9 to 15 days of development. On the other hand, activities of 17 alpha-hydroxylase, C-17--C-20 lyase in the ovary were three to eight times those in the testis, and aromatase activity in the ovary was definitely higher than that in the testis at all stages examined. The activities of 17 alpha-hydroxylase, C-17--C-20 lyase, and aromatase significantly increased from 9 to 11 days only in the ovary. From 13 to 15 days, the activities of 17 alpha-hydroxylase and C-17--C-20 lyase markedly increased only in the testis. These results suggest that, in the gonads of developing chicken embryos, there are sexual differences in the regulation of 17 alpha-hydroxylase, C-17--C-20 lyase, and aromatase activities.