LHX2 in germ cells control tubular organization in the developing mouse testis.

In the gonads of mammalian XY embryos, the organization of cords is the hallmark of testis development. This organization is thought to be controlled by interactions of the Sertoli cells, endothelial and interstitial cells with little or no role of germ cells. Challenging this notion, herein we show that the germ cells play an active role in the organization of the testicular tubules.

Lhx2 in germ cells suppresses endothelial cell migration in the developing ovary.

LIM-homeobox genes play multiple roles in developmental processes, but their roles in gonad development are not completely understood. Herein, we report that Lhx2, Ils2, Lmx1a, and Lmx1b are expressed in a sexually dimorphic manner in mouse, rat, and human gonads during sex determination. Amongst these, Lhx2 has female biased expression in the developing gonads of species with environmental and genetic modes of sex determination.

Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in the first trimester placenta leading to transplacental transmission and fetal demise from an asymptomatic mother.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by infection of the respiratory tract by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which survives in the tissues during the clinical course of infection but there is limited evidence on placental infection and vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The impact of COVID-19 in first trimester pregnancy remains poorly understood. Moreover, how long SARS-CoV-2 can survive in placenta is unknown.

Single-Cell RNA-seq Identifies Cell Subsets in Human Placenta That Highly Expresses Factors Driving Pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2.

Infection by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) results in the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19, which has posed a serious threat globally. Infection of SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy is associated with complications such as preterm labor and premature rupture of membranes, and a proportion of neonates born to infected mothers are also positive for the virus. During pregnancy, the placental barrier protects the fetus from pathogens and ensures healthy development.