The Glutamine-Glutamate Cycle Contributes to Behavioral Feminization in Female Rats.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

In perinatal female rats, the glutamine (Gln)-glutamate cycle (GGC) constitutively supplies Gln to neurons of the ventral lateral ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (vlVMH) to sustain glutamatergic synaptic transmission (GST). In contrast, male pups may use Gln only during periods of elevated neuronal activity. Perinatal disruption of the GGC has sex-specific effects on the GST and morphology of vlVMH neurons during adulthood. Since (vl)VMH neuronal activities regulate mating behavior expression, we hypothesize that maintaining a perinatal intact GGC may be essential for the sexual differentiation of reproductive behaviors.

Methods

Using perinatal rats of both sexes, we pharmacologically killed astrocytes or blocked the GGC and supplemented them with exoge

SUBMITTER: Liang SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11548894 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature