gonadal hormone independent sex differences in steroidogenic factor 1 knockout mice brain

Sex differences in brain morphology have been described in a number of species including humans. Gonadal hormones were shown to provide a major influence on brain sexual differentiation more than 50 years ago. A growing number of studies is providing evidence for roles of genetic factors, in particular sex chromosome complement, on brain sexual differentiation in mammals. In this review, hormone-independent brain sexual differentiation, with the emphasis on mice with a disruption of the SF-1 gene (SF-1 knockout, SF-1 KO) are discussed.