Sexually dimorphic activation of midbrain tyrosine hydroxylase neurons after mating or exposure to chemosensory cues in the ferret

Biology of Reproduction
S R Wersinger, M J Baum

Abstract

Mating with intromission induces a prolonged preovulatory LH surge in the estrous female ferret but inhibits LH secretion in the male. We used the dual immunocytochemical localization of Fos (as a marker of neural activation) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) to determine whether neurons containing norepinephrine or other catecholamines are activated after mating. Breeding male ferrets were allowed to intromit with estrous females; both animals were perfused 90 min after the onset of intromission. Other male and female ferrets were perfused 90 min after being placed in a cage in which an opposite-sex ferret in breeding condition had previously been housed for 48 h. Control ferrets of each sex were perfused 90 min after being placed alone in a clean testing cage. Mating with intromission significantly augmented the percentage of TH-immunoreactive (TH-IR) neurons colabeled with nuclear Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-IR) in both the A6 and the rostral A2 midbrain catecholamine cell groups in females, but not males. Exposure to chemosensory cues alone also increased the percentage of Fos-IR TH neurons in the rostral A2, but not the A6, cell group in females. Chemosensory cues alone did not affect the percentage of double-labeled neuron...Continue Reading

Citations

Mar 17, 2001·Brain Research·S P Yang, J L Voogt
Nov 5, 1998·Regulatory Peptides·K Y PauH G Spies
Jun 6, 2000·Brain Research. Molecular Brain Research·M CabaH G Spies
Jul 7, 2000·Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology·J Bakker, M J Baum
Jul 8, 2016·PloS One·Claude Fabre-NysRex J Scaramuzzi
Jul 22, 2008·Nature Neuroscience·Che SergueraLiliana Minichiello

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