Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2020;110(3-4):172-184.
doi: 10.1159/000503006. Epub 2019 Aug 30.

Differential Roles of Hypothalamic AVPV and Arcuate Kisspeptin Neurons in Estradiol Feedback Regulation of Female Reproduction

Luhong Wang  1 , Suzanne M Moenter  2   3   4
Affiliations
Review

Differential Roles of Hypothalamic AVPV and Arcuate Kisspeptin Neurons in Estradiol Feedback Regulation of Female Reproduction

Luhong Wang et al. Neuroendocrinology. 2020.

Abstract

Mammalian reproductive function includes puberty onset and completion, reproductive cyclicity, steroidogenesis, gametogenesis, fertilization, pregnancy, and lactation; all are indispensable to perpetuate species. Reproductive cycles are critical for providing the hormonal milieu needed for follicular development and maturation of eggs, but cycles, in and of themselves, do not guarantee ovulation will occur. Here, we review the roles in female reproductive neuroendocrine function of two hypothalamic populations that produce the neuropeptide kisspeptin, demonstrating distinct roles in maintaining cycles and ovulation.

Keywords: Anteroventral periventricular nucleus; Arcuate; CRISPR; Estradiol; Kisspeptin; Ovulation; Reproduction.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Estradiol regulation of firing rate and EPSC frequency in arcuate and AVPV kisspeptin neurons of the hypothalamus. A, Firing rate of arcuate kisspeptin neurons is elevated in cells from KERKO compared to control mice. B, Firing rate is not different between cells from Arc-AAV-Esr1 and Arc-AAV-lacZ OVX+E mice. C, Spontaneous glutamatergic EPSC frequency is regulated by cycle stage (left) and estradiol (right) in arcuate kisspeptin neurons. E, estrus, K, KERKO. D, Knockdown of ERα targeted to the arcuate increases glutamatergic inputs to arcuate KNDy neurons. E, Firing rate of AVPV kisspeptin neurons is elevated during proestrus (left) and by estradiol (right). F, The firing rate decreases in cells from KERKO compared to control and is no longer estradiol-sensitive. G, Spontaneous glutamatergic EPSC frequency is regulated by cycle stage (left) and estradiol (right) in AVPV kisspeptin neurons. *, p<0.05; adapted from [112,119,137] with permission.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Distinct roles of arcuate and AVPV kisspeptin neurons in regulating estradiol feedback and reproductive function. A, Knockdown of ERα in arcuate kisspeptin neurons did not alter LH-pulse frequency on estrus (left) but desensitized the LH response to kisspeptin and GnRH challenge. B, Knockdown of ERα in AVPV kisspeptin neurons blunted the proestrous (left) and estradiol-induced (right) surges. C and D, Knockdown of ERα in arcuate (C) but not AVPV (D) kisspeptin neurons alter reproductive cyclicity. Adapted from [119].
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Schematic diagram of estradiol feedback regulation on ERα in AVPV and arcuate kisspeptin neurons in adulthood. Knockdown of ERα in AVPV kisspeptin neurons blunted LH surge but did not alter reproductive cyclicity whereas knockdown of ERα in arcuate kisspeptin neurons disrupted the cyclicity. From [119].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Fink G: Neuroendocrine Regulation of Pituitary Function; in : Neuroendocrinology in Physiology and Medicine. Totowa, NJ, Humana Press, 2000, pp 107–133.
    1. Plant TM, Zeleznik AJ, Herbison AE: Physiology of the Adult Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neuronal Network. Knobil and Neill’s Physiology of Reproduction 2015;399–467.
    1. Silverman A, Livne I, Witkin JW: The gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), neuronal systems: immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization; in Neill J (ed): Physiology of reproduction, 2nd edition, ed 2nd New York, Raven Press, 1994, pp 1683–1706.
    1. Knobil E, Plant TM, Wildt L, Belchetz PE, Marshall G: Control of the rhesus monkey menstrual cycle: permissive role of hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Science 1980;207:1371–3. - PubMed
    1. Clarke IJ, Cummins JT: The temporal relationship between gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion in ovariectomized ewes. Endocrinology 1982;111:1737–1739. - PubMed

Publication types