Search results for "Endocrine System"

Circadian variations of ?synaptic? bodies in the pineal glands of Brattleboro rats

1990

The function of the mammalian pineal gland is regulated primarily by the sympathetic system. Arginine-vasopressin (AVP) may also be involved in the regulation of pineal melatonin synthesis under experimental conditions. The present study was conducted in the AVP-deficient rat strain, the Brattleboro rat, to investigate whether the numbers and rhythms of pineal "synaptic" bodies in this strain are different from those found in intact rats. AVP or its non-vasoconstrictive analog, deamino-D-AVP, was also injected intra-arterially in Brattleboro or Sprague-Dawley rats to test whether this procedure influences "synaptic" body numbers. Brattleboro rats were killed at different time-points through…

2020

It has been suggested that early cry parameters are connected to later cognitive abilities. The present study is the first to investigate whether the acoustic features of infant cry are associated with cognitive development already during the first year, as measured by oculomotor orienting and attention disengagement. Cry sounds for acoustic analyses (fundamental frequency; F0) were recorded in two neonatal cohorts at the age of 0-8 days (Tampere, Finland) or at 6 weeks (Cape Town, South Africa). Eye tracking was used to measure oculomotor orienting to peripheral visual stimuli and attention disengagement from central stimuli at 8 months (Tampere) or at 6 months (Cape Town) of age. Only a m…

Associations between neonatal cry acoustics and visual attention during the first year

2019

It has been suggested that early cry parameters are connected to later cognitive abilities. The present study is the first to investigate whether the acoustic features of infant cry are associated with cognitive development already during the first year, as measured by oculomotor orienting and attention disengagement. Cry sounds for acoustic analyses (fundamental frequency; F0) were recorded in two neonatal cohorts at the age of 0–8 days (Tampere, Finland) or at 6 weeks (Cape Town, South Africa). Eye tracking was used to measure oculomotor orienting to peripheral visual stimuli and attention disengagement from central stimuli at 8 months (Tampere) or at 6 months (Cape Town) of age. Only a m…

Pharmacological Characterization of Melanocortin Receptors in Fish Suggests an Important Role for ACTH

2005

The melanocortin (MC) receptor subtypes have distinctive characteristic binding profiles. We found that the trout and Fugu MC4 receptors have similar affinity for alpha-MSH and beta-MSH and a much higher affinity for ACTH than does the human MC4 receptor. The Fugu MC1 and the trout and Fugu MC5 receptors also have higher affinity for ACTH-derived peptides than alpha-, beta-, or gamma-MSH. It is tempting to speculate that ACTH-derived peptides may have played an important role as "original" ligands at the MC receptors, while the specificity of the different subtypes for the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-MSH peptides may have appeared at later stages during vertebrate evolution.

Distribution of corticotropin-releasing factor-immunoreactive neurons in the central nervous system of the domestic chicken and Japanese quail

2004

In birds, as in mammals, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is present in a number of extrahypothalamic brain regions, indicating that CRF may play a role in physiological and behavioral responses other than the control of adrenocorticotropin hormone release by the pituitary. To provide a foundation for investigation of the roles of CRF in the control of avian behavior, the distribution of CRF immunoreactivity was determined throughout the central nervous system of the domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus) and Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). The distribution of CRF-immunoreactive (-ir) perikarya and fibers in the chicken and quail brain was found to be more extensive than previously re…

Role of glutathione in Thiobencarb resistance in the European eel Anguilla anguilla.

2000

Glutathione-dependent defense against xenobiotic toxicity is a multifaceted phenomenon that has been well characterized in mammals. In the present study, eels of species Anguilla anguilla were exposed to 15 ppm of the herbicide thiobencarb (S-4-chlorobenzyl diethylthiocarbamate) for 96 h. Eels exposed to the pesticide were grouped in 24-h intervals according to their time of death, while surviving intoxicated eels constituted another group (live animals). Glutathione content (GSx, GSH, GSSG) was determined in liver and muscle tissues of the dead and live (intoxicated) animals and compared to control values (nonexposed eels). The fish that died before 96 h of exposure were considered suscept…

Development of day-night rhythmicity in "synaptic" ribbon numbers in the pinealocytes of posthatch chicks kept under either natural photoperiodic con…

1991

: Pineal synaptic ribbons (SR) undergo characteristic changes over a period of 24 hr under natural photoperiodic conditions in various vertebrates, being low in number during daytime and elevated at night. During posthatch development of chicks, the rhythmicity of SR numbers is reported to appear at the age of about 2 weeks. Because the influence of external light during the growth phase of chicks on the development of day-night rhythmicity in SR numbers is unknown, we studied day-night differences in SR numbers in the pinealocytes of chicks at the posthatch ages of 15, 17, and 19 days; chicks had previously been kept under natural photoperiodic conditions or continuous illumination. Under …

Human Oviductal Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone: Possible Implications in Fertilization, Early Embryonic Development, and Implantation1

2000

The oviduct is host to gametes and early embryos at a critical point in their lives. It is clear that the interactions of gametes/early embryo with the maternal oviduct in an autocrine and paracrine manner provide a microenvironment that enhances fertilization, early embryonic development, and implantation. Moreover, there is considerable evidence that an extrahypothalamic GnRH may play a substantial role as a molecular autocrine/paracrine regulator in these events. Gametes and preimplantation embryos express GnRH and GnRH receptor at both messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein levels. However, whether GnRH is produced by the human oviduct has not yet been demonstrated. We used RT-PC…

2015

The melanocortin system is one of the most important neuronal pathways involved in the regulation of food intake and is probably the best characterized. Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) expressing neurons located in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus are the key elements of this system. These two neuronal populations are sensitive to circulating molecules and receive many excitatory and inhibitory inputs from various brain areas. According to sensory and metabolic information they integrate, these neurons control different aspects of feeding behavior and orchestrate autonomic responses aimed at maintaining energy homeostasis. Interestingly, composition and a…

Respiratory Parameters after Systemic Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Administration

1991

Neuroanatomical studies on the distribution of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and its receptors (7) as well as physiological data suggest a regulatory function of endogenous CRH in hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic brain areas [1, 4]. Endogenous CRH acts within the endocrine hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis and affects cardiovascular regulation and respiration through extrahypothalamic pathways. CRH also stimulates gluconeogenesis and release of plasma-catecholamines. Our experiments in humans also demonstrate an influence on respiration and on heart rate activity after systemic application of CRH. Respiratory parameters and heart rate were analyzed during steady-state conditions …