Endocrine Abstracts

Reproductive timing strongly influences the fitness of the individual. While most vertebrates rely on photoperiodic changes to induce seasonal reproduction, the arctic ground squirrel (AGS) naturally undergoes reproductive maturation in a photoperiod-independent manner. In addition, males spontaneously activate their reproductive axis during hibernation, but the timing of reproduction is sensitive to external cues. We are using electron microscopy to examine, define, and measu...

Despite the recognized importance of thyroid hormones (TH) for normal brain development, little is known about the critical molecular events underlying this role. We investigated the molecular basis of TH action on the developing brain by: (1) comparing genome-wide gene expression patterns in the cerebellum of euthyroid, hypothyroid and hyperthyroid juvenile mice treated with 6-propyl thiouracil or mercapto-methylimidazole /perchlorate using DNA microarrays; and (2) investigat...