Molecular Insights into Sex Determination and Differentiation
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 38
Special Issue Editor
Interests: DSD; sex differentiation; gonad; ovary; testis; single cell; cancer; infertility; single-cell RNA sequencing; sex determination; metabolism
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Sex determination is the biological process that defines whether an organism will develop as male, female, or, in some species, an alternative sexual phenotype. It marks the initial step in a developmental cascade that gives rise to sexually dimorphic traits, including the gonads (testes or ovaries), reproductive tract, and secondary sex characteristics. At the molecular level, this process is regulated by intricate gene regulatory networks, epigenetic modifications, and signaling pathways that coordinate cell fate decisions.
This research area aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying sex determination and differentiation across diverse species. By identifying the key genes, regulatory elements, and pathways involved in these processes, scientists can better understand developmental biology, the evolution of sex systems, and related disorders of sex development (DSDs).
Potential topics
- Master sex-determining genes and their downstream targets;
- Comparative analysis of sex determination systems across species;
- Epigenetic regulation and chromatin dynamics during sex differentiation;
- The role of non-coding RNAs in sex-specific gene expression;
- The influence of metabolism and environmental factors on sex determination;
- Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and their impact on sex development;
- Cellular differentiation among Sertoli, Leydig, granulosa, and theca cells;
- Genetic and molecular basis of disorders of sex development (DSDs);
- Cross-talk between signaling pathways in sex-specific cell fate decisions.
Dr. Martin A. Estermann
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- sex determination
- sex differentiation
- ovary
- testis
- epigenetics
- gene regulatory networks
- DSDs
- transcriptomics
- evolution
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