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Genetic sex introduces variation in phenotypic traits in sexually reproducing organisms. Here, the authors report a developmental gene expression atlas for C. elegans males and hermaphrodites, highlighting the key role of the insulin-like peptide INS-39 in male development and suggesting genetic underpinnings of sexual dimorphism.
Evidence suggests that stress during development might lead to sexual dysfunction. Here, authors show that pubertal stress disrupted female sexual behavior by reducing activation of nitric oxide synthase-expressing neurons in response to male cues.
Developmental stress can detrimentally affect adult female reproductive behavior, influencing sexual receptivity and fertility. Recent work has demonstrated neuronal nitric oxide (NO) synthase (nNOS)-promoted NO release in the ventromedial hypothalamus as a nexus between pre-pubertal stress and adult sexual behavior in mice.
The structure of pheromone, produced by microalgae in vanishingly small quantities as part of a signalling cascade that controls sexual reproduction, has been determined.