FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT OF INTRAHYPOTHALAMIC IMPLANTS OF IMMORTALIZED GONADOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE-SECRETING CELLS IN FEMALE HYPOGONADAL MICE.

The hypogonadal (HPG) mouse is a mutant that lacks a functional gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) gene. In this study, female HPG mice received bilateral intrahypothalamic implants of an immortalized GnRH-secreting cell line (GT1-7). Nine mice were tested 42- 65 days after implantation to determine whether these cells could support spontaneous and/or N/-methyl-d,l-aspartic acid (NMDA)-stimulated luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion.

HUMAN MIDSIZED NEUROFILAMENT EXPRESSION IN TRANSGENIC MOUSE-DERIVED GRAFTS FACILITATES STUDY OF GRAFT-HOST INTERACTIONS IN HYPOGONADAL MICE.

Our previous studies established that targeted axonal outgrowth into the host median eminence (ME) from grafted gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons is essential for stimulation of reproductive function in hypogonadal (HPG) mice homozygous for a deletion in the GnRH gene. In the current experiments transgenic mice expressing the human midsized neurofilament NF(M) were used as sources of grafts to clarify the extent of transplant-derived innervation of the host that accompanies this dramatic recovery process. Preoptic area (POA) tissue from 1- or 2-dayold transgenic pups was implanted in the third ventricle of adult male HPG mice.