Priming in oxytocin cells and in gonadotrophs.
At proestrous, the sensitivity of gonadotrophs to gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) increases with repeated exposure to GnRH, a process known as self-priming. An apparently similar phenomenon can also occur in peptidergic neurons; activity-dependent oxytocin release from dendrites can be potentiated by oxytocin itself. In the brain, such priming actions have the potential to alter the strength of communication between neuronal populations for a very prolonged period. In the case of both oxytocin neurons and gonadotrophs, priming appears to involve an augmentation of a readily releasable pool of vesicles.
Leng
Gareth
G
Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK. Gareth.leng@ed.ac.uk
Caquineau
Celine
C
Ludwig
Mike
M
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008893:Milk Ejection / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000502:physiology*
D006062:Gonadotropins; D010121:Oxytocin