Project description:This study combined single-cell RNA-seq with whole-cell patch-clamp recording to profile the neurons in mouse preoptic area with characterized temperature-sensitivity
Project description:Homeotherms maintain a stable internal body temperature despite changing environments. During energy deficiency, some species can cease to defend their body temperature and enter a hypothermic and hypometabolic state known as torpor. Despite recent advances in our understanding of thermoregulation, the precise neurons that coordinate these profound thermoregulatory and metabolic changes remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that estrogen-sensitive neurons in the medial preoptic area (MPA) are key drivers of hypothermia and hypometabolism in mice. We find that selectively activating estrogen-sensitive MPA neurons was sufficient to drive a coordinated depression of metabolic rate and body temperature similar to torpor, as measured by body temperature, physical activity, indirect calorimetry, heart rate, and brain activity. Inducing torpor with a prolonged fast revealed larger and more variable calcium transients from estrogen-sensitive MPA neurons during bouts of hypothermia. Finally, selective ablation of estrogen-sensitive MPA neurons demonstrated that these neurons are required for the full expression of fasting-induced torpor. Together, these findings suggest a role for estrogen-sensitive MPA neurons in directing the thermoregulatory and metabolic responses to energy deficiency.
Project description:The effect of photoperiod on gene expression was assessed in punch samples of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and medial preoptic area. Long day mice were housed in 16L:8D and short day mice were housed in 8L:16D. Experiment Overall Design: For the medial preoptic area, independent samples were collected from long day (n=3) and short day (n=3) mice. For the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis independent samples were collected from long day (n=3) and short day (n=2) mice.
Project description:Leptin binding to the leptin receptor (LepR) causes rapid signaling to the nucleus. We investigated the early (2 hr) transcriptional response to acute leptin injectio (intracerebroventricular) in the preoptic area/hypothalamus/pituitary of juvenile Xenopus laevis frogs. Frogs were given i.c.v. injections of 0.6% saline or recombinant X. laevis leptin (rxLeptin; 20 ng/g BW) and 2 hrs later killed and the preoptic area/hypothalamus/pituitary dissected.
Project description:The preoptic area of the hypothalamus (POA) contains intrinsically warm and cold-sensitive neurons, which are thought to be critically involved in mammalian thermoregulation. However, the precise physiological roles and the molecular markers of the cold-sensitive POA neurons have not been determined yet. Here, we tackle this problem by performing calcium-imaging guided separation and collection of cold-sensitive and cold-insensitive dissociated neurons from the mouse POA, followed by RNASeq and differential transcriptomics of these cell populations.
Project description:Single nuclear RNA-sequencing from tissue dissected from the ventral medial preoptic area (VMPO) of the hypothalamus in saline and LPS injected mice
Project description:This experiment intended to look for the transcriptome changes that happen in neuronal cells from the preoptic area of the hypothalamus expressing leptin receptors during heat acclimation conditions. 3 groups of animals were used; long-term heat-acclimated animals constantly exposed to 36˚C for 28-35 days, short-term heat-acclimated animals constantly exposed to 36˚C for 5 days, and non-habituated (non-acclimated) animals which were not exposed to heat. The animal line used was LepRCreHTB.