Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
2005-9-26
pubmed:abstractText
Arginine8 vasotocin (AVT), a neurohypophyseal peptide in nonmammalian vertebrates, plays a key role in the regulation of social behaviors related to reproduction. In male roughskin newts (Taricha granulosa), AVT is an important facilitator of several reproductive behaviors, including courtship clasping of females. Although AVT is known to act in certain brain regions and AVT receptors have been localized to some extent, specific target neurons for this peptide have not been identified in any species. Internalization of a receptor-specific conjugate of AVT and the fluorescent dye Oregon green was used to identify AVT target cells in the medulla of male roughskin newts. Medullary neurons are of interest because they appear to mediate facilitation of clasping by AVT. Direct application of AVT-Oregon green to the fourth ventricular surface of the medulla in vivo resulted in conjugate internalization by a widespread population of medullary neurons, particularly in the medial reticular formation and nuclei of cranial nerves V, VII, VIII, IX, and X. Some fourth-ventricle ependymal cells were also labeled. Reticulospinal neurons, which play an important role in clasping, were identified by retrograde labeling with tetramethylrhodamine dextran amine. AVT-Oregon green was internalized by 72% of these neurons. These results show that AVT can directly affect a very large and diverse medullary neuronal population, which may underlie the peptide's role in multiple neuroendocrinological processes, including autonomic and behavioral regulation. Selectivity of the AVT action may arise through interactions between AVT and steroids such as corticosterone.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Oct
pubmed:issn
0021-9967
pubmed:author
pubmed:copyrightInfo
2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
31
pubmed:volume
491
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
381-9
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2005
pubmed:articleTitle
Identification of roughskin newt medullary vasotocin target neurons with a fluorescent vasotocin conjugate.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural