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EDRI Federal Project Inventory:
Role of Glial Cells and Gabaergic Neurons in Sexual Differentiation of the Brain
- Sponsor Organization: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
- Project Title: ROLE OF GLIAL CELLS AND GABAERGIC NEURONS IN SEXUAL DIFFERENTIATION OF
THE BRAIN
- Project Focus: HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS
- Description: Differences in behavior between male and female animals are reflected
in structuraldifferences within the brain. The hypothalamus is a
brain region where there is stronginteraction between hormones and the
brain, and these neuroendocrine events arevery important during
development. Nerve cells, or neurons, often are clustered intogroups
called nuclei. Besides neurons, the brain is packed with cells called
glial cells,which have a variety of functions that modulate neural
development and activity. Thisproject asks novel questions on whether
glial cells in a nucleus of the hypothalamusare sexually
differentiated during a neonatal "critical period." Cellular
markingtechniques and molecular biology are used to explore cellular
changes in morphologyand gene expression in these glial cells in
response to steroid hormones. Similartechniques will be used to
localize sites of membrane receptors for steroids, todetermine whether
the steroid action is directly on glial cells, or instead is an
indirectinfluence via steroid- concentrating neurons. Results will
be important fordevelopmental neuroscience as well as
neuroendocrinology, and will help understandhow the basic structure of
the brain is related to behavior.
- References:
- Category: MODELS
- Subcategory: BASIC RESEARCH
- Keywords for Experimental System/Species: RODENT, MAMMAL, IN VIVO, LABORATORY STUDIES
- Keywords for Experimental Endpoints: NEUROLOGICAL, REPRODUCTIVE, HORMONE MEASURES, SEX STEROIDS, PEPTIDE
HORMONES,PHYSIOLOGY, BREEDING BEHAVIOR, STRESS RESPONSE, MOLECULAR,
GENE EXPRESSION,HORMONE RECEPTORS
- Chemical Agents: Sex Steroids, Peptide Hormones
- Performing Institution: University of Maryland Baltimore
- Contact: Margaret M McCarthy, 520 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201-
1627 410 328-7004
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