The neuropeptide kisspeptin is necessary for reproduction, fertility, and puberty. Here, we show strong kisspeptin innervation of hypothalamic anorexigenic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) cells, coupled with a robust direct excitatory response by POMC neurons (n > 200) to kisspeptin, mediated by mechanisms based on activation of a sodium/calcium exchanger and possibly opening of nonselective cation ...

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) regulates secretion of both of the gonadotropins, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone. Thus, it is a key hormone for vertebrate reproduction. GnRH was considered to be unusual among hypothalamic neuropeptides in that it appeared to have no direct antagonist, although some neurochemicals and peripheral hormones (opiates, GABA, gonadal s...

Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) gene is an important gene in reproduction. In this study, we screened single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the chicken GnIH gene among 204 individuals in Erlang mountainous chickens. We then analyzed the associations between polymorphisms of the GnIH gene and 5 egg production traits in chickens. Five SNPs (T3305C, T3310C, G3403C, G3411A, and T3591C) w...

until 2000 it was believed that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (gnrh) was the sole regulator of hypophyseal gonadotropes. in 2000, the discovery of a gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (gnih) initiated a revolution in the field of reproductive physiology. identification of gnih homologues in mammals, the arginine-phenylalanine- amide (rfamide)-related peptides (rfrps), indicated a similar function...

Seasonal breeding is widespread in vertebrates and involves sequential development of the gonads, onset of breeding activities (e.g. cycling in females) and then termination resulting in regression of the reproductive system. Whereas males generally show complete spermatogenesis prior to and after onset of breeding, females of many vertebrate species show only partial ovarian development and ma...

Reproductive performance of many avian species, including Japanese quail, is reported to be modulated by specific temporal phase relation of serotonergic and dopaminergic oscillations. Accordingly, it has been shown that the serotonin precursor 5-HTP and the dopamine precursor l-DOPA given 8 h apart induce gonadal suppression and given 12 h apart lead to gonadal stimulation, while other tempora...