Immunogenetics of sex determination of the polled goat

Using the protein A rosette technique, it was found that the gene for polledness (P) in goats is associated with the presence of H-Y antigen on the cell surface of cultured fibroblasts. Two XX intersex goats (P/P) were found to be H-Y+, and one heterozygous (P/+) normal XX female was also found to express H-Y antigen at a low level. The expression of H-Y antigen by intersex goats was found to be lower than that of normal XY males. The statistical analysis suggests that animals of the same genotype and sex might differ in the density of H-Y antigen on their cell surface, which might explain the variability in primary sex determination among intersex goats. The association between the gene for sex reversal and H-Y antigen is discussed in relation to the location of the H-Y gene(s).