Epididymides of sex-reversed XX mice lack the initial segment

The genetic factor Sxr causes sex reversal of chromosomally female (XX or XO) mice to phenotypic maleness by inducing development of testes that produce androgens. It has been considered that these sex-reversed animals, called pseudomales, confirm the principle originally developed by Jost that adequate androgenization produces normal phenotypic maleness in mammals, irrespective of chromosomal sex. However, we previously discovered that the epididymis of sex-reversed XX mice (pseudomales of genotype XXSxr) lacks EH 9 cells (epididymal head, cell type No. 9, the "principal cell' of the initial segment). The purpose of the present study was to determine whether cell type EH 9 of XXSxr pseudomales is replaced by a principal cell of a different appearance, or whether the initial segment itself is actually absent. We made serial sections of entire epididymal heads and did microdissections to unravel the highly coiled epididymal duct. Using these two approaches, we studied the sequence of epididymal segments, and estimated lengths of the relevant portion of the epididymal duct; we found that the initial segment of XXSxr pseudomales is truly absent. This is the first report of a mutant genotype causing absence of a segment of the epididymis. The XXSxr mutant appears to be an exception to Jost's principle. This finding shows that, even in full androgenization, male phenotype may not always be independent of chromosomal sex.