The kisspeptins are critical regulators of mammalian reproduction. Kisspeptin-10 ((45)YNWNSFGLRF-NH2(54), kisspeptin-112-121 or metastin 45-54, NSC 741805), an active fragment of kisspeptin, has been shown to be a potent stimulator of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and secretion of luteinizing hormone in both rodents and primates. This shorter peptide fragment may have clinical utility potentia...

In order to reproduce successfully, animals must integrate multiple environmental cues to synchronize breeding with favorable conditions. In temperate, seasonally breeding rodents, photoperiod acts as the primary seasonal cue. Long days are associated with reproductive development and maturation of the gonads whereas short days induce gonadal regression. The neuropeptide kisspeptin has potent s...

BACKGROUND Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and kisspeptin in the hypothalamus are thought to be crucial components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and maintain reproductive function. These neuropeptides are also expressed in the placenta, where they may contribute to placental physiology. In this study, we examined how these peptides are regulated within the placenta. M...

Pheromones have been shown to induce sexually dimorphic responses in LH secretion. Here we asked whether the sexually dimorphic population of kisspeptin neurons in the rostral periventricular area of the third ventricle (RP3V) could relay sexually dimorphic information from the olfactory systems to the GnRH system. Furthermore, we analyzed the effects of aromatase mutation (ArKO) and thus the r...

Elucidating the physiological mechanisms that control reproduction is an obvious strategy for improving the fertility of cattle and developing new agents to control reproductive functions. The present study aimed to identify kisspeptin neurons in the bovine hypothalamus, clarifying that a central mechanism is also present in the cattle brain, as kisspeptin is known to play an important role in ...

Kisspeptin plays a critical role in pubertal timing and reproductive function. In rodents, kisspeptin perikarya within the hypothalamic arcuate (ARC) and anteroventral periventricular (AVPV) nuclei are thought to be involved in LH pulse and surge generation, respectively. Using bilateral microinjections of recombinant adeno-associated virus encoding kisspeptin antisense into the ARC or AVPV of ...

The neuropeptide kisspeptin is necessary for reproduction, fertility, and puberty. Here, we show strong kisspeptin innervation of hypothalamic anorexigenic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) cells, coupled with a robust direct excitatory response by POMC neurons (n > 200) to kisspeptin, mediated by mechanisms based on activation of a sodium/calcium exchanger and possibly opening of nonselective cation ...

Neurons that produce gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) are the final common pathway by which the brain regulates reproduction. GnRH neurons are regulated by an afferent network of kisspeptin-producing neurons. Kisspeptin binds to its cognate receptor on GnRH neurons and stimulates their activity, which in turn provides an obligatory signal for GnRH secretion, thus gating down-stream events ...

It is well established that kisspeptin signaling is necessary for the onset of puberty in laboratory animals. However, the role that kisspeptin may have in regulating puberty in large domestic animals is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that either central or peripheral infusion of kisspeptin would stimulate gonadotropin and GH secretion in prepubertal gilts. In experiment 1, prepubertal gilts...

introduction: kisspeptin-13 (kp-13) is a novel endogenous factor, increases synaptic transmission and is involved in several behavioral functions such as anxiety, locomotion, epilepsy and avoidance learning. however, the role of this peptide on cognition has not been well clarified yet. here we studied the effect of kisspeptin-13 pretreatment on spatial learning and also interaction with cholin...