Postnatal sex reversal of the ovaries in mice lacking estrogen receptors α and β

Mice lacking estrogen receptors alpha and beta were generated to clarify the roles of each receptor in the physiology of estrogen target tissues. Both sexes of alpha beta estrogen receptor knockout (alpha beta ERKO) mutants exhibit normal reproductive tract development but are infertile. Ovaries of adult alpha beta ERKO females exhibit follicle transdifferentiation to structures resembling seminiferous tubules of the testis, including Sertoli-like cells and expression of Mullerian inhibiting substance, sulfated glycoprotein-2, and Sox9, Therefore, Loss of both receptors Leads to an ovarian phenotype that is distinct from that of the individual ERKO mutants, which indicates that both receptors are required for the maintenance of germ and somatic cells in the postnatal ovary.