Sex-specific apoptosis regulates sexual dimorphism in the Drosophila embryonic gonad.

Sexually dimorphic development of the gonad is essential for germ cell development and sexual reproduction. We have found that the Drosophila embryonic gonad is already sexually dimorphic at the time of initial gonad formation. Male-specific somatic gonadal precursors (msSGPs) contribute only to the testis and express a Drosophila homolog of Sox9 (Sox100B), a gene essential for testis formation in humans.

Drosophila E-cadherin is essential for proper germ cell-soma interaction during gonad morphogenesis.

In most animal species, germ cells require intimate contact with specialized somatic cells in the gonad for their proper development. We have analyzed the establishment of germ cell-soma interaction during embryonic gonad formation in Drosophila melanogaster, and find that somatic cells undergo dramatic changes in cell shape and individually ensheath germ cells as the gonad coalesces. Germ cell ensheathment is independent of other aspects of gonad formation, indicating that separate morphogenic processes are at work during gonadogenesis.