title: Projections from ventrolateral hypothalamic neurons containing progestin receptor- and substance P-immunoreactivity to specific forebrain and midbrain areas in female guinea pigs.
abstract: Many neurons within the ventrolateral hypothalamus in guinea pigs contain estrogen-induced progestin receptors as well as substance P. Retrograde tracing combined with immunocytochemistry was used to determine the specific projections of this subset of steroid-sensitive cells. Unilateral Fluoro-Gold injections into the dorsal midbrain, including the central gray, labeled a large proportion of the ventrolateral hypothalamic neurons immunoreactive for both progestin receptors and substance P (approximately 30%); substantially fewer of these neurons were labeled by unilateral Fluoro-Gold injections into the preoptic area (approximately 6%), medial amygdala (approximately 10%), or the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (approximately 11%). The projections of progestin receptor-immunoreactive neurons in the ventrolateral hypothalamus were similar to those of progestin receptor/substance P double-labeled neurons, while a slightly lower percentage of the ventrolateral hypothalamic, substance P-immunoreactive neurons tended to project to each of these areas. These pathways may prove to be components of the neural circuitry underlying a variety of functions influenced by gonadal steroid hormones and substance P, such as female sexual behavior, salt intake, nociception and aggression.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 01003.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Blaustein
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007026:Hypothalamic Area, Lateral / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013266:Stilbamidines; D013373:Substance P / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C049774:2-hydroxy-4,4'-diamidinostilbene, methanesulfonate salt; D004967:Estrogens; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D013266:Stilbamidines; D013373:Substance P