Developmental expression of glucokinase in rat hypothalamus.
Neurons in the hypothalamus sense changes in glucose concentration. Glucokinase (GK), a key enzyme for pancreatic (beta)-cell glucose sensing, was found in both the embryonic and adult hypothalamus. GK activity accounted for approximately 20% of total hexokinase (HK) activity in both embryonic and adult hypothalamus with no activity measured in cortical samples, indicating that glucose sensing in the hypothalamus initiates early in development and precedes the maturation of glucose signaling in liver.
Sutherland
Vicki L
VL
Department of Physiology, Arizona Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA.
McReynolds
Matthew
M
Tompkins
Linda S
LS
Brooks
Heddwen L
HL
Lynch
Ronald M
RM
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015152:Blotting, Northern / Q000379:methods; D015139:Blotting, Southern / Q000379:methods; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D005941:Glucokinase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D006593:Hexokinase / Q000378:metabolism; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D006593:Hexokinase; D005941:Glucokinase; D005947:Glucose