Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

675

Date

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Biology

Committee Chair

David Freeman

Committee Member

Stephan Schoech

Committee Member

Michael Ferkin

Abstract

Siberian hamsters exhibit seasonal rhythms in reproductive driven by melatonin secretion. Tissues that mediate Mel-dependent alterations in reproduction include the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and the nucleus reuniens (NRe). Several neuroendocrine factors are implicated in the control of reproduction by melatonin, including two RFamides, kisspeptin and gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH), as well as triiodothyronine (T3). Melatonin implants localized to the SCN or NRe tested the hypothesis that separate melatonin target tissues regulate RFamide expression. We also hypothesized that T3 and the RFamides are part of a single circuit. The results of chapter 2 indicate that melatonin acting at the SCN reduces the number of kisspeptin neurons in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus and melatonin acting at the NRe reduced GnIH expression, supporting the hypothesis that RFamides are regulated by separate melatonin targets. Results from chapter 3 indicate that T3 up-regulates RFamide expression, thus T3 and the RFamides are parts of a single pathway.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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