Pregnancy-stimulated neurogenesis in the adult female forebrain mediated by prolactin.
Neurogenesis occurs in the olfactory system of the adult brain throughout life, in both invertebrates and vertebrates, but its physiological regulation is not understood. We show that the production of neuronal progenitors is stimulated in the forebrain subventricular zone of female mice during pregnancy and that this effect is mediated by the hormone prolactin. The progenitors then migrate to produce new olfactory interneurons, a process likely to be important for maternal behavior, because olfactory discrimination is critical for recognition and rearing of offspring. Neurogenesis occurs even in females that mate with sterile males. These findings imply that forebrain olfactory neurogenesis may contribute to adaptive behaviors in mating and pregnancy.
Shingo
Tetsuro
T
Genes & Development Research Group, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1.
Gregg
Christopher
C
Enwere
Emeka
E
Fujikawa
Hirokazu
H
Hassam
Rozina
R
Geary
Colleen
C
Cross
James C
JC
Weiss
Samuel
S
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002465:Cell Movement; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002831:Choroid Plexus / Q000378:metabolism; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000166:cytology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D011555:Pseudopregnancy; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
D011981:Receptors, Prolactin; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D011388:Prolactin