Home > E. Pathology by systems > Genital system > ovotestis
ovotestis
Tuesday 7 March 2006
Definition: The ovotestis is the most frequently encountered type of gonad in ovotesticular disorders of sexual differentiation (ovotesticular DSD) (Formerly, "true hermaphroditism").
Images
Ovotesticular disorder with unilateral, bipolar ovotestis (dysgenetic) & contralateral normal ovary (not shown).
In four-fifths of cases the ovarian and testicular tissues are arranged in an end-to-end fashion. The ovarian portion of an ovotestis has a convoluted surface while the testicular portion is smooth and glistening.
Frequently, a distinct line demarcates the two tissues. The firm nature of the palpable ovarian tissue and the soft texture of the testis are valuable clinical signs when evaluating the nature of a gonad in an infant with ambisexual external genitalia.
Types
mixed ovotestis
- most common type of ovotestis
- interspersed immature ovarian and testicular components
- dysgenesis of seminiferous tubules
- seminiferous tubules containing immature germ cells
Etiology
true hermaphrodism
- SOX9 mutations (campomelic dysplasia) (Cameron, 1998; Beaulieu-Bergeron, 2009)
See also
intersex diseases
- pseudohermaphrodisms
- hermaphrodisms