Endocrine Abstracts

Attainment of mammalian reproductive capacity depends on an increased pulsatile release of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) from hypothalamus neurons. After reaching the pituitary gland GnRH stimulates the synthesis and release of gonadotropins, which in turn promote gonadal function. The pubertal activation of GnRH secretion is brought about by coordinated changes in transsynaptic and glial-neuronal communication, which involve an increase in neuronal and glial excitator...

Puberty is a tightly regulated process by which an individual attains reproductive capability. An intricate network of central and peripheral factors has been described to play a role in this process; however, the mechanism triggering puberty onset remains largely unknown. Recently, the neuropeptides kisspeptin (encoded by Kiss1) and Neurokinin B-NKB- (encoded by TAC3 in humans and Tac2 in rodents) have been placed as essential gatekeepers of puberty onset. Studies in humans a...

The human pubertal development is a very complex biological process that can be influenced by multiple factors including the genetic ones. A growing list of genes has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the congenital isolated hypogonadotropin hypogonadism (IHH) pointing to the complexity of the genetic basis of this condition. These genes encode peptides, which are involved in the development and migration of GnRH neurons or in regulation of synthesis, secretion and action...