ESPE Abstracts

Background: Mammalian puberty is initiated by the pulsatile release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from hypothalamic neurons. Enhanced at puberty (Eap) 1 is a transcription factor within this regulatory network integrating exogenous and endogenous informations, e.g. weight. Recent studies indicate an epigenetic regulation of the pubertal process.Objective and hypotheses: This study investigates if overweight modifies epigenetic marks i...

Background: Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)-secretion is not only regulated by neuronal factors but also by astroglia cells via growth factors (transforming growth factor α (TGFα), neuregulin (NRG)), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and the erbB receptor family. Mutations of TGFα and erbB1 result in an impaired reproductive capacity. Mice show a characteristically skin phenotype with wavy hair and curly whiskers. The rat strain SPRD-Cu3 (curly) shows a sim...