title: Looking for trouble: a search for developmental defects of the hypothalamus.
abstract: The hypothalamus is a critical integrator of several homeostatic processes that are required for the survival of vertebrates. Disruption of the development of the hypothalamus thus has the potential of perturbing important physiological processes with lifelong consequences. We review current knowledge about how cell types are specified and circuits are formed within the developing hypothalamus. We emphasize the potential clinical impact of the perturbations of these pathways using the regulation of energy balance as a model. We predict that disruption of hypothalamic development is a common, previously unsuspected cause of disorders of homeostatic processes such as obesity and high blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Hôpital Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: Aurore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caqueret
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duplan
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.forename: Jacques L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Michaud
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension; D007027:Hypothalamic Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors