Maternal photoperiod programs hypothalamic thyroid status via the fetal pituitary gland.

ABSTRACT: In wild mammals, offspring development must anticipate forthcoming metabolic demands and opportunities. Within species, different developmental strategies may be used, dependent on when in the year conception takes place. This phenotypic flexibility is initiated before birth and is linked to the pattern of day length (photoperiod) exposure experienced by the mother during pregnancy. This programming depends on transplacental communication via the pineal hormone melatonin. Here, we show that, in the Siberian hamster (Phodopus sungorus), the programming effect of melatonin is mediated by the pars tuberalis (PT) of the fetal pituitary gland, before the fetal circadian system and autonomous melatonin production is established. Maternal melatonin acts on the fetal PT to control expressio

SUBMITTER: Saenz de Miera C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5547608 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature