Dopamine-melatonin neurons in the avian hypothalamus and their role as photoperiodic clocks

General and Comparative Endocrinology
Mohamed E El HalawaniYupaporn Chaiseha

Abstract

A timing mechanism in the brain governs reproduction in seasonally breeding temperate zone birds by triggering gonad development in response to long days in the spring. The neural mechanism(s) responsible for the timing and induction of reproductive activity by this clock are unknown. Utilizing in situ hybridization, immunocytochemistry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction techniques, a group of dopamine (DA) neurons in the premammillary nucleus (PMM) of the caudal turkey hypothalamus that synthesize and colocalize both DA and melatonin (MEL) were identified. In addition, these neurons are found to express clock genes and the circadian photoreceptor melanopsin. DA-MEL neurons reach threshold activation (c-fos expression) when a light pulse is given during the photosensitive phase. This is associated with increases in the number of gonadotropin releasing hormone-I (GnRH-I) neurones activated, as well as an up-regulation of GnRH-I mRNA expression. The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH; the rate limiting enzyme in DA biosynthesis) and tryptophan hydroxylase 1, (TPH1; the first enzyme in MEL biosynthesis) and consequently DAergic-MELergic activities are associated with the daily light-dark cycle. TPH1 mRNA expre...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jun 13, 2013·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Nerine T JosephRobert P Millar
Mar 5, 2013·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Sunantha KosonsirilukMohamed E El Halawani
Jan 13, 2010·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Akihiro TakemuraYoriko Shibata
Jul 15, 2009·International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience·Lucia de Fatima Sobral Sampaio
May 22, 2009·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Mary Ann OttingerMichael J Quinn
Dec 15, 2010·The European Journal of Neuroscience·Michael N LehmanRobert L Goodman
Aug 24, 2013·Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part A, Ecological Genetics and Physiology·Stephan J SchoechEli S Bridge
Apr 11, 2014·General and Comparative Endocrinology·P L Rangel, C G Gutierrez
Oct 23, 2016·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Voravasa ChaiworakulMohamed E El Halawani
Mar 14, 2018·Molecules : a Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry·Dax viviD, George E Bentley
Apr 13, 2018·Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences·Peishi FengLin Yang
Mar 20, 2010·Clinical Chemistry·Michael J Bennett
May 19, 2020·Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology·Donna L ManeyKeith W Sockman

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