Endocrine mechanisms of seasonal adaptation in small mammals: from early results to present understanding.

Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology
Frank Scherbarth, Stephan Steinlechner

Abstract

Seasonal adaptation is widespread among mammals of temperate and polar latitudes. The changes in physiology, morphology and behaviour are controlled by the photoneuroendocrine system that, as a first step, translates day lengths into a hormonal signal (melatonin). Decoding of the humoral melatonin signal, i.e. responses on the cellular level to slight alterations in signal duration, represents the prerequisite for appropriate timing of winter acclimatization in photoperiodic animals. Corresponding to the diversity of affected traits, several hormone systems are involved in the regulation downstream of the neural integration of photoperiodic time measurement. Results from recent studies provide new insights into seasonal control of reproduction and energy balance. Most intriguingly, the availability of thyroid hormone within hypothalamic key regions, which is a crucial determinant of seasonal transitions, appears to be regulated by hormone secretion from the pars tuberalis of the pituitary gland. This proposed neuroendocrine pathway contradicts the common view of the pituitary as a gland that acts downstream of the hypothalamus. In the present overview of (neuro)endocrine mechanisms underlying seasonal acclimatization, we are fo...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 16, 2011·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Lin ZhangZheng-Kun Wang
Dec 27, 2011·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Alexander TupsMartin Klingenspor
Nov 5, 2011·Yi chuan = Hereditas·Dong-Wei Huang, Ming-Xing Chu
Feb 20, 2014·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Paul A KaselooPaul D Heideman
Nov 15, 2011·Chronobiology International·Konrad SchöttnerDietmar Weinert
Jul 25, 2013·Chronobiology International·Tomoko IkenoRandy J Nelson
Jan 25, 2016·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Jan S BoratyńskiMichał S Wojciechowski
Jul 4, 2012·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Jenny SprentStewart C Nicol
Dec 17, 2015·Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine : Official Publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians·Kristina M Delaski, Kathryn C Gamble
Dec 24, 2013·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Tomoko IkenoRandy J Nelson
Jun 14, 2017·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Jan S BoratyńskiMichał S Wojciechowski
Mar 6, 2018·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Marketa ZimovaL Scott Mills
Jul 15, 2015·American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology·Frank ScherbarthPerry Barrett
Sep 9, 2018·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Takeshi EtoTetsuo Morita
Dec 15, 2020·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Zhe ShiXin-Min Liu

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