Preoptic area brain grafts in hypogonadal (hpg) female mice abolish effects of congenital hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) deficiency

Abstract

Normal fetal preoptic area (POA), a site of GnRH production, was implanted into the third ventricle of adult female hypogonadal (hpg) mice. When the grafts were successful, the mice (genetically deficient in hypothalamic GnRH) responded with vaginal opening, cornified vaginal cells, ovarian and uterine development, and increased pituitary FSH content and plasma LH concentrations. Similar results were obtained with fetal POA tissue, whether derived from males or females. Two of four hpg mice with POA grafts mated when caged overnight with males. Hpg females that received cortical tissue from fetuses or from 16-day-old pups, or POA tissue from 16-day-old pups, showed none of these changes, remaining similar to untreated hpg females.