How relevant is the mouse model for understanding human sex determination?

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Comparative Genomics
• Genetics

Background:

• The mouse is a key model organism for studying mammalian gonadal sex determination.
• A comprehensive comparison between human and mouse sex determination processes is currently lacking.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for interpreting mouse model studies of human reproductive health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a systematic, interspecies comparative analysis of single-cell transcriptomic data for gonadal sex determination in humans and mice.
• To identify conserved and divergent gene expression profiles across major cell types.
• To evaluate the suitability of the mouse as a model for human gonadal development and disorders.

Main Methods:

• Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from human and mouse gonads.
• Comparative transcriptomic analysis of cell types.
• Identification of differentially expressed genes and conserved pathways.

Main Results:

• Major transcriptomic differences were observed in most cell types between human and mouse gonads.
• Conserved gene expression profiles were mainly found in genes critical for gonadal sex determination and in highly differentiated cell types.
• Poorly differentiated cells, like somatic progenitors, exhibited more divergent transcriptomic profiles between species.

Conclusions:

• Significant transcriptomic divergence exists between human and mouse gonadal development, especially in early progenitor cells.
• The mouse model is suitable for studying specific aspects of human gonadal development and disorders, but limitations exist.
• This comparative atlas will refine the use of animal models in reproductive biology research.