The main types of reproductive system structure, development and functions in cephalopods are described from personal observations and use of the literature. There is one type in males and three in females which are order specific. These have provided a basis for examining possible evolutionary trends in reproductive system development and in reproductive strategies within coleoid cephalopods a...

Given the close relationship among neuroendocrine systems, it is likely that there may be common signals that coordinate the acquisition of adult reproductive function with other homeo-static processes. In this review, we focus on central nervous system insulin-like growth factor–1 (IGF-1) as a signal controlling reproductive function, with possible links to somatic growth, particularly during ...

Hox genes are key regulators of development. In mammals, the study of these genes is greatly confounded by their large number, overlapping functions and interspersed shared enhancers. Here, we describe the use of a novel recombineering strategy to introduce simultaneous frameshift mutations into the flanking Hoxa9, Hoxa10 and Hoxa11 genes, as well as their paralogs on the HoxD cluster. The resu...

Our primary concern in this review is to give possible explanations and pose new questions on the phenomena concerning eff ects of neonatal estrogen exposure on the development and functions of reproductive organs and immune mechanisms particularly in male animals, in the light of new fi ndings and cencepts. At fi rst, our own experimental results on the pathological changes in the epididymis a...