The distribution of monoaminergic cells and fibers in a periventricular preoptic nucleus involved in the control of gonadotropin release: Immunohistochemical evidence for a dopaminergic sexual dimorphism

Simerly, Richard B.; Swanson, L. W.; Gorski, Roger A.

doi:10.1016/0006-8993(85)90007-1

Cited by 195 publications

(130 citation statements)

References 38 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

115

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…These results support those of Carruth et al (2002) on mesencephalic cell cultures, but are in conflict with those of Reisert & Pilgrim (1991). In the diencephalon, the density of DA neurones in the anteroventricular paraventricular nucleus (AVPV) of the hypothalamus is greater in female than in male mice (Simerly et al 1985b). This sexual differentiation may have been masked in the studies of Reisert & Pilgrim (1991), who investigated the hypothalamus as a whole and did not find any sex difference in the density of DA neurones.…”

Section: Control Of Sexual Differentiationsupporting

confidence: 76%

“…In fact, there is a virtual absence of DA neurones in the medial POA (Simerly et al 1986). However, histological studies of the AVPV show that the number of DA neurones is three to four fold greater and there are two to four times more DA fibres in females than in males (Simerly et al 1985b). The results from experiments on ERa knockout mice indicate that this sexual differentiation is due to an inhibitory effect of the neonatal steroid surge in males, exerted via oestradiol acting on ERa (Simerly et al 1997).…”

Section: Dopaminementioning

confidence: 99%

“…AVPV POA MBH Dopamine concentration/activity Higher in females Simerly et al (1985b) No sex difference and neurones sparse (Simerly et al 1986, Kawashima & Takagi 1994, Reznikov & Nosenko 1996 Higher in males (Kawashima & Takagi 1994, Reznikov & Nosenko 1996 Function Regulates cyclical release of LH (feminization; Simerly 2002) Induces masculinization of behaviour (Hull et al 1984, Olesen et al 2005) Noradrenaline concentration/ activity Higher in males (Reznikov & Nosenko 1996) No sex (Reznikov et al 2004) …”

Section: Hypothalamic Areas Catecholaminesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

The control of sexual differentiation of the reproductive system and brain

Wilson¹,

Davies²

2007

Reproduction

157

116

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This review summarizes current knowledge of the genetic and hormonal control of sexual differentiation of the reproductive system, brain and brain function. While the chromosomal regulation of sexual differentiation has been understood for over 60 years, the genes involved and their actions on the reproductive system and brain are still under investigation. In 1990, the predicted testicular determining factor was shown to be the SRY gene. However, this discovery has not been followed up by elucidation of the actions of SRY, which may either stimulate a cascade of downstream genes, or inhibit a suppressor gene. The number of other genes known to be involved in sexual differentiation is increasing and the way in which they may interact is discussed. The hormonal control of sexual differentiation is well-established in rodents, in which prenatal androgens masculinize the reproductive tract and perinatal oestradiol (derived from testosterone) masculinizes the brain. In humans, genetic mutations have revealed that it is probably prenatal testosterone that masculinizes both the reproductive system and the brain. Sexual differentiation of brain structures and the way in which steroids induce this differentiation, is an active research area. The multiplicity of steroid actions, which may be specific to individual cell types, demonstrates how a single hormonal regulator, e.g. oestradiol, can exert different and even opposite actions at different sites. This complexity is enhanced by the involvement of neurotransmitters as mediators of steroid hormone actions. In view of current environmental concerns, a brief summary of the effects of endocrine disruptors on sexual differentiation is presented.

show abstract

Section: Control Of Sexual Differentiationsupporting

confidence: 76%

Section: Dopaminementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Hypothalamic Areas Catecholaminesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The control of sexual differentiation of the reproductive system and brain

Wilson¹,

Davies²

2007

Reproduction

157

116

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Moreover, the results of recent neuroanatomical studies suggest that the AVPV provides direct projections to a subpopulation of gonadotropin releasing hormone neurons in the preoptic region that are thought to participate in the initiation of the preovulatory LH surge (12). The AVPV is unusual among sexually dimorphic nuclei because it is larger in female animals and contains a greater number of dopaminergic neurons in female rats, relative to that of males (13). Treatment of neonatal female rats with testosterone, or lesioning of the AVPV, blocks hormonal induction of an LH surge; testosterone exposure also reduces the number of dopaminergic neurons in the AVPV to that characteristic of male animals (8,14,15).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Estrogen receptor-dependent sexual differentiation of dopaminergic neurons in the preoptic region of the mouse

Simerly

Zee

Pendleton

et al. 1997

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

190

141

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Although it has been known for some time that estrogen exerts a profound inf luence on brain development a definitive demonstration of the role of the classical estrogen receptor (ER␣) in sexual differentiation has remained elusive. In the present study we used a sexually dimorphic population of dopaminergic neurons in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (AVPV) to test the dependence of sexual differentiation on a functional ER␣ by comparing the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive neurons in the AVPV of wild-type (WT) mice with that of mice in which the ER␣ had been disrupted by homologous recombination (ERKO␣). Only a few ER␣-immunoreactive neurons were detected in the AVPV of ERKO␣ mice, and the number of TH-immunoreactive neurons was three times that of WT mice, suggesting that disruption of the ER␣ gene feminized the number of THimmunoreactive neurons. In contrast, the AVPV contains the same number of TH-immunoreactive neurons in testicular feminized male mice as in WT males, indicating that sexual differentiation of this population of neurons is not dependent on an intact androgen receptor. The number of THimmunoreactive neurons in the AVPV of female ERKO␣ mice remained higher than that of WT males, but TH staining appeared to be lower than that of WT females. Thus, the sexual differentiation of dopamine neurons in the AVPV appears to be receptor specific and dependent on the perinatal steroid environment.From an evolutionary perspective, the most adaptive physiological responses are those that ensure successful reproduction. Coordinated sex-specific behaviors and physiological mechanisms have evolved to facilitate reproduction and it is now clear that most are determined by the central action of steroid hormones during brain development. For example, only female rats display a massive surge in gonadotropin secretion in response to treatment of gonadectomized animals with estrogen and progesterone, and exposure of genetic females to high levels of gonadal hormones such as testosterone near the time of birth results in defeminization of the sexually dimorphic pattern of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion that triggers ovulation (1-4). Abundant evidence from a variety of animal models indicates that steroid hormones secreted by the gonads during development cause profound sex-specific changes in the structure and neurochemistry of certain forebrain regions, including sexually dimorphic regions in the hypothalamus thought to play key roles in mediating the preovulatory secretion of LH (4-7). A particularly important and sexually dimorphic part of neural circuits that regulate the secretion of LH is the anteroventral periventricular nucleus of the preoptic region (AVPV). The AVPV has been shown to play a critical role in transducing hormonal feedback on LH secretion and is required for spontaneous ovulation (8, 9). Consistent with this functional role, the AVPV contains high densities of neurons that express receptors for estrogen and progesterone (10) and implan...

show abstract

“…We also determined the effects of neonatal ATD on sex differences in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the anteroventral periventricular preoptic area (AVPV) and estrogen receptor alpha (ER α ) expression in the medial preoptic area (mPOA), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST), and medial amygdala (MeA). These systems have been reported to be sexually dimorphic in prairie voles (Cushing et al, 2004;Hnatczuk et al, 1994;Kramer et al, 2006;Lansing and Lonstein, 2006), are influenced by neonatal gonadal hormones (Cushing and Kramer, 2005;Lansing and Lonstein, 2006), and are associated with the display of copulatory behaviors in rodents (Clancy et al, 2000;Huddleston et al, 2006;Hull et al, 1999;Simerly and Swanson, 1987;Simerly et al, 1985;Wersinger et al, 1997). …”

Section: Nih Public Accessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences and effects of neonatal aromatase inhibition on masculine and feminine copulatory potentials in prairie voles

Northcutt

Lonstein

2008

Hormones and Behavior

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Copulatory behaviors in most rodents are highly sexually dimorphic, even when circulating hormones are equated between the sexes. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are monomorphic in their display of some social behaviors, including partner preferences and parenting, but differences between the sexes in their masculine and feminine copulatory behavior potentials have not been studied in detail. Furthermore, the role of neonatal aromatization of testosterone to estradiol on the development of prairie vole sexual behavior potentials or their brain is unknown. To address these issues, prairie vole pups were injected daily for the first week after birth with 0.5 mg of the aromatase inhibitor 1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione (ATD) or oil. Masculine and feminine copulatory behaviors in response to testosterone or estradiol were later examined in both sexes. Males and females showed high mounting and thrusting in response to testosterone, but only males reliably showed ejaculatory behavior. Conversely, males never showed feminine copulatory behaviors in response to estradiol. Sex differences in these behaviors were not affected by neonatal ATD, but ATD-treated females received fewer mounts and thrusts than controls, possibly indicating reduced attractiveness to males. In other groups of subjects, neonatal ATD demasculinized males' tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the anteroventral periventricular preoptic area, and estrogen receptor alpha expression in the medial preoptic area. Thus, although sexual behavior in both sexes of prairie voles is highly masculinized, aromatase during neonatal life is necessary only for females' femininity. Furthermore, copulatory behavior potentials and brain development in male prairie voles are dissociable by their requirement for neonatal aromatase. Keywordsaromatase; estradiol; Microtus; neonatal; sexual behavior; sexual differentiation; voles Masculine and feminine copulatory behaviors are highly sexually dimorphic in many rodent species, even when levels of steroid hormones are equated in adult males and females (see Wallen and Baum, 2002). Indeed, treating male rats or mice with ovarian hormones rarely results in high levels of feminine sexual behaviors (Dominguez-Salazar et al., 2002;Edwards and Burge, 1971;Kudwa et al., 2005;Parsons et al., 1984;Whalen et al., 1986;Whalen and Olsen, 1981). Furthermore, although female rats treated with testosterone may mount other females, the frequency is often low compared to males, and intromissive and ejaculatory behaviors are rarely displayed in either rats or mice given testosterone Dominguez-Salazar et al., 2002;Edwards and Burge, 1971;Gladue and Clemens, 1980;Levine and Mullins, 1964;Whalen and Olsen, 1981). 108 Giltner Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, Phone: (517) FAX: (517) 432-2744, northcu2@msu.edu . Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are an interesting species to study sex differences in behavioral potentials because they are relatively monomorphic in some of their social behaviors, as both se...

show abstract

The distribution of monoaminergic cells and fibers in a periventricular preoptic nucleus involved in the control of gonadotropin release: Immunohistochemical evidence for a dopaminergic sexual dimorphism

Cited by 195 publications

References 38 publications

The control of sexual differentiation of the reproductive system and brain

The control of sexual differentiation of the reproductive system and brain

Estrogen receptor-dependent sexual differentiation of dopaminergic neurons in the preoptic region of the mouse

Sex differences and effects of neonatal aromatase inhibition on masculine and feminine copulatory potentials in prairie voles

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About