title: The vertebrate diencephalic MCH system: a versatile neuronal population in an evolving brain.
abstract: Neurons synthesizing melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) are described in the posterior hypothalamus of all vertebrates investigated so far. However, their anatomy is very different according to species: they are small and periventricular in lampreys, cartilaginous fishes or anurans, large and neuroendocrine in bony fishes, or distributed over large regions of the lateral hypothalamus in many mammals. An analysis of their comparative anatomy alongside recent data about the development of the forebrain, suggests that although very different, MCH neurons of the caudal hypothalamus are homologous. We further hypothesize that their divergent anatomy is linked to divergence in the forebrain - in particular telencephalic evolution.
authors.affiliation: EA3922, UFR Sciences Médicales et Pharmaceutiques, SFR FED 4234, Université de Franche-Comté, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Croizier
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cardot
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brischoux
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fellmann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Griffond
authors.forename: P Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Risold
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005399:Fishes / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D007798:Lampreys / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008322:Mammals / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones; D008543:Melanins; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; C019463:melanin-concentrating hormone