Identification of substances which regulate activity of corticotropin-releasing factor-producing neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.

ABSTRACT: The stress response is a physiological system for adapting to various internal and external stimuli. Corticotropin-releasing factor-producing neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN-CRF neurons) are known to play an important role in the stress response as initiators of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, the mechanism by which activity of PVN-CRF neurons is regulated by other neurons and bioactive substances remains unclear. Here, we developed a screening method using calcium imaging to identify how physiological substances directly affect the activity of PVN-CRF neurons. We used acute brain slices expressing a genetically encoded calcium indicator in PVN-CRF neurons using CRF-Cre recombinase mice and an adeno-associated viral vector under Cre control

SUBMITTER: Mukai Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7424526 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature