Analysis of the brain mechanism regulating the reproductive system using small laboratory animals.

该合作是在生殖神经内分泌学研究的领先概念和技术优势。我们的研究是由有关营养，生长和生殖活动，我们没有答案的基本问题驱动的。例如，我们知道生殖系统在动物生长期间的特定时间被激活，而低营养会阻碍生长并延迟这种激活。然而，我们完全不知道大脑如何知道什么时候生长足以开始生殖过程。这一机制的最基本要素尚未得到理解。青春期后，我们知道生殖系统在营养不足期间关闭，但大脑如何感知哪些营养不足尚不确定。我们相信，当我们更好地了解大脑如何感知能量代谢或储备的变化时，这些问题的答案就会出现。 ...更多信息 研究人员和实验模型正试图解开代谢信号是如何被大脑感知并通过神经通路来调节专门的神经元的，这些神经元分泌一种独特的神经肽，控制整个生殖系统。这种肽，促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH），二十年前因其发现而获得诺贝尔医学奖，是体内最重要的生殖激素。没有它，迄今为止研究的任何哺乳动物物种都不可能繁殖。该肽不分泌到外周循环中，并且仅在其控制的下丘脑和脑垂体之间的微循环中可测量。其分泌模式通常在小动物模型中不可测量。然而，由于绵羊和山羊微循环的特殊位置，GnRH的模式可以通过我们将在此次合作中使用的这些大型动物模型中的特殊方法精确表征。此外，在这些模型中，可以同时分析GnRH分泌的电生理相关性，以更好地了解其调节的神经成分。另一方面，大鼠是非常宝贵的研究途径的信息传输和网站的监管，因为完善的立体定位方法和分子技术可用于这个广泛使用的model.We已经开发了一个新的概念，即能源供应严格控制生殖轴在发展和发达的动物。血糖水平及其可用性是调节生殖各阶段生理事件和行为的最重要因素。葡萄糖的可用性可以通过中枢和外周感知来调节生殖功能和摄食行为，但传感器的位置和感知机制仍然未知。少

The collaboration is on leading conceptual and technological edges of research in reproductive neuroendocrinology. Our research is being driven by fundamental questions relating to nutrition, growth, and reproductive activity for which we do not have answers. For example, we know that the reproductive system is activated at a specific time during growth in animals and that low nutrition retards growth and delays this activation. However, we are completely ignorant about how the brain knows when growth is sufficient to begin the reproductive process. The most basic elements of this mechanism are not yet understood. After puberty, we know that the reproductive system shuts down during periods of low nutrition, but how the brain senses which nutrients are inadequate is uncertain. We believe that answers to such questions will be forthcoming when we better understand how changes in energy metabolism or reserves are sensed by the brain.The participants through complementary skills, approach … More es, and experimental models are attempting to unravel how metabolic signals are sensed by the brain and routed through neural pathways to regulate the specialized neurons which secrete a unique neuropeptide the controls the entire reproductive system. This peptide, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) for which the Nobel prize for Medicine was awarded for its discovery two decades ago, is the single-most important reproductive hormone in the body. Without it, reproduction is not possible in any mammalian species thus far studied. The peptide is not secreted into the peripheral circulation and is only measurable in the microcirculation between the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland which it controls. Its pattern of secretion is generally not measurable in small animal models. However, facilitated by the particular location of the microcirculation in the sheep and goat, the pattern of GnRH can be characterized precisely by a special approach in these large animal models which we will use in this collaboration. Moreover, in these models, electrophysiological correlates of GnRH secretion can be analyzed simultaneously to better understand the neural components of its regulation. On the other hand, the rat is invaluable to study pathways of information transmission and sites of regulation because of the well established stereotaxic approaches and molecular technologies available for this widely used model.We have developped a new concept that energy availability strictly controls the reproductive axis in developing and developed animals. Blood glucose level and its availability are the most important factors regulating physiological events and behavior in the reproduction at various phases. Glucose availability may be sensed centrally and peripherally to regulate reproductive functions as well as feeding behavior, but the location of the sensors and the mechanism of sensing are still unknown. Less