2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
The role of excitatory action of GABA in the estrous cycle of mouse
| Project/Area Number |
23790283
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Environmental physiology (including Physical medicine and Nutritional physiology)
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| Research Institution | Hamamatsu University School of Medicine (2012-2013)
Gunma University (2011) |
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Principal Investigator |
WATANABE Miho 浜松医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (10399321)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2011 – 2012
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| Keywords | GnRHニューロン / GABA / KCC2 / 視床下部 / 神経内分泌学 |
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| Research Abstract |
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons form the final common pathway for the central regulation of reproduction. Previously, we reported that GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult brain, exerts an excitatory action in adult GnRH neurons. To examine the functional role of the excitatory action of GABA in GnRH neurons in vivo, we generated transgenic mice with conditional overexpression of KCC2 or knockout of NKCC1 restricted in GnRH neurons in a reversible fashion using tetracycline controlled gene expression system. Female mice, which expressed KCC2 in GnRH neurons, showed no pregnancy and abnormal estrous cyclicity and abnormal ovary containing many small follicles. These results suggest that the excitatory action of GABA on GnRH neurons has an important role in the female reproduction.
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