Hidden in plain sight: the mammary line in males may be the missing link regulating inguinoscrotal testicular descent

Balic, Adam; Nation, Tamara; Buraundi, Silverton; Farmer, Pamela J.; Newgreen, Don; Southwell, Bridget R.; Hutson, John M.

doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2009.10.088

Cited by 16 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 18 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…First, the cremaster muscle appears to form as a single layer of muscle that has initial continuity with the transversus abdominis muscle, rather than as a bilaminar cremaster sac, as described in the rat [15]. Second, there is an initial connection between the gubernaculum and the mammary bud, similar to that described recently in the rat [15,16]. Third, the peritoneum of the PV is derived from specialized cells that initially cover the urogenital ridge, and this morphologic difference persists during elongation of the PV to the scrotum during the second phase of descent.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Gubernacular development in the mouse is similar to the rat and suggests that the processus vaginalis is derived from the urogenital ridge and is different from the parietal peritoneum

Buraundi

Balic

Farmer

et al. 2011

Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Gubernacular development in the mouse is similar to the rat and suggests that the processus vaginalis is derived from the urogenital ridge and is different from the parietal peritoneum

Buraundi

Balic

Farmer

et al. 2011

Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Interestingly, androgen blockade with flutamide causes mammary tissue to form around the gubernaculum in male rats (Nation et al, 2009b;Balic et al, 2010). In marsupials, there is a clear link between the gubernaculum and the breast where the marsupial homolog of the cremaster muscle, called ilio-marsupialis, is attached to the mammary gland and nipple and acts as a suspensory muscle for the lactating breast (Griffiths and Slater, 1988;Nation et al, 2009b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ectoderm and adjacent specialized mesenchyme of the mammary bud is a potential source for regulatory signals controlling the gubernaculum, in a way similar to the apical ectodermal ridge of an embryonic limb bud (Balic et al, 2010). Indeed, the mammary line develops along the boundary of the early embryonic trunk between the sites of the limb buds, so its inductive properties are likely to be similar (Cho et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of the Gubernaculum During Testicular Descent in the Rat

Nation

Buraundi

Farmer

et al. 2011

The Anatomical Record

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Gubernacular elongation during inguinoscrotal testicular descent and cremaster muscle development remains poorly described in mammals. The role of the genitofemoral nerve (GFN) remains elusive. We performed detailed histological analysis of testicular descent in normal rats to provide a comprehensive anatomical description for molecular studies. Fetuses and neonatal male offspring (5-10 per group) from time-mated Sprague-Dawley dams (embryonic days 15, 16, and 19; postnatal days 0, 2, and 8) were prepared for histology. Immunohistochemistry was performed for nerves (Class III tubulin, Tuj1) and muscle (desmin). At embryonic days 15 and 16, the gubernaculum and breast bud are adjacent and both supplied by the GFN. By embryonic day 19, the breast bud has regressed and the gubernacular swelling reaction is completed. Postnatally, the gubernacular core regresses, except for a cranial proliferative zone. The cremaster is continuous with internal oblique and transversus abdominis. By postnatal day 2 (P2), the gubernaculum has everted, locating the proliferative zone caudally and the residual mesenchymal core externally. Eversion creates the processus vaginalis, with the everted gubernaculum loose in subcutaneous tissue but still remote from the scrotum. By P8, the gubernaculum has nearly reached the scrotum with fibrous connections attaching the gubernaculum to the scrotal skin. A direct link between GFN, gubernaculum, and breast bud suggests that the latter may be involved in gubernacular development. Second, the cremaster muscle is continuous with abdominal wall muscles, but most of its growth occurs in the distal gubernacular tip. Finally, gubernacular eversion at birth brings the cranial proliferative zone to the external distal tip, enabling gubernacular elongation similar to a limb bud. Anat Rec, 294:1249Rec, 294: -1260Rec, 294: , 2011. V V C 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

show abstract

“…The mammary line in humans shows a similar anatomical distribution [13]. Moreover, the close link between the mammary line and the gubernaculum that has been shown in both rodents [5,6] and marsupials [7] suggests evolutionary conservation. Indeed, both these structures are supplied by the GFN.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent studies from our laboratory have shown that the mammary bud has a close anatomical relationship with the gubernaculum during the transabdominal phase and that both structures are supplied by the genitofemoral nerve (GFN) [5,6]. A similar close relationship between the gubernaculum and the mammary line is seen in marsupials, where the female "cremaster" muscle, known as iliomarsupialis, is the suspensory muscle of the breasts and nipples in the female kangaroo [7].…”

mentioning

confidence: 94%