Gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuron remodeling: causal for puberty onset?
The concept that regulation of neurosecretory function is coupled to structural remodeling of the underlying neuronal network is not new but the developmental changes in the hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone system of the postnatal male mouse recently reported by Herbison's group are unexpectedly marked, involving both the soma and dendrite. Does this plasticity underlie the pubertal increase in pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone release that takes the animal into adulthood?
Plant
Tony M
TM
Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. plant1@pitt.edu
D000818:Animals; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*
D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone