XY gonadal dysgenesis associated with the congenital nephrotic syndrome

The occurrence of a nephrotic syndrome in a female infant with a 46,XY karyotype is reported. The internal genitalia were female but a microscopic region of immature testicular tissue was present in 1 of 2 streak gonads. The relationship of this child's abnormal genital differentiation to her renal disease is discussed in the light of reported cases of infantile nephritis and Wilms' tumor in male pseudohermaphrodites. It is suggested that a common teratogen operating on the embryonic urogenital ridge may cause both genital and renal anomalies.