{"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"The Steroidogenic Factor 1 (SF-1) protein is a transcription factor involved in sex determination by controlling activity of genes related to the reproductive glands or gonads and adrenal glands. This protein is encoded by the NR5A1 gene. SF-1 expression is localized to adult steroidogenic tissues correlating with known expression profiles of steroid hydroxylases. Using in situ hybridization with SF-1 cRNA-specific probes detected gene transcripts in adrenocortical cells, Leydig cells, and ovarian theca and granulosa cells. SF-1 specific antibody studies confirmed the expression profile of SF-1 in rats and humans corresponding to sites of transcript detection."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"SF-1 has been found to be a highly valuable IHC marker to determine the adrenocortical origin of an adrenal mass with high sensitivity and specificity. In addition, SF-1 expression is of stage-independent prognostic value in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma. Other SF-1 pathologies include adrenal failure (mutations in the SF-1 DNA-binding interface), adrenal or ovarian insufficiency and gonadal dysgenesis (heterozygous mutations), endometriosis (promoter hypomethylation), and male infertility (mutations in the hinge region of the protein). For the differential diagnosis with endometrioid tumors and carcinoid of the ovary, SF-1 is a sensitive and specific IHC marker for Sertoli cell tumor and that SF-1 is diagnostically comparable with other good sex cord-stromal markers."}]}]}