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Anatomy, development, and plasticity of the neurosecretory hypothalamus in zebrafish

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Abstract

The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus harbors diverse neurosecretory cells with critical physiological roles for the homeostasis. Decades of research in rodents have provided a large amount of information on the anatomy, development, and function of this important hypothalamic nucleus. However, since the hypothalamus lies deep within the brain in mammals and is difficult to access, many questions regarding development and plasticity of this nucleus still remain. In particular, how different environmental conditions, including stress exposure, shape the development of this important nucleus has been difficult to address in animals that develop in utero. To address these open questions, the transparent larval zebrafish with its rapid external development and excellent genetic toolbox offers exciting opportunities. In this review, we summarize recent information on the anatomy and development of the neurosecretory preoptic area (NPO), which represents a similar structure to the mammalian PVN in zebrafish. We will then review recent studies on the development of different cell types in the neurosecretory hypothalamus both in mouse and in fish. Lastly, we discuss stress-induced plasticity of the PVN mainly discussing the data obtained in rodents, but pointing out tools and approaches available in zebrafish for future studies. This review serves as a primer for the currently available information relevant for studying the development and plasticity of this important brain region using zebrafish.

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Abbreviations

ac :

anterior commissure

ACTH:

adrenocorticotropic hormone

AgRP :

agouti-related protein

AMPA :

α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid–glutamate receptor agonist

aPV:

anterior periventricular nucleus

ARC:

arcuate nucleus

ARNT2:

aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-2

Arx :

aristaless-related homeodomain transcription factor

AVP :

arginine vasopressin

bHLH:

basic helix loop helix

CCK :

cholecystokinin

CRH :

corticotropin-releasing hormone

d:

dorsal

Dlx:

distal less homeodomain transcription factor

DMH:

dorsomedial hypothalamus

ECR:

evolutionarily conserved region in the enhancer

ENK:

enkephalin

Fezf2:

forebrain embryonic zinc finger-like protein

H:

hypothalamus

Ha:

habenula

HPA:

hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis

IR:

interrenal gland

Isl-1:

islet-1 homeodomain transcription factor

lENK:

leucine enkephalin

LHA:

lateral hypothalamic area

MA:

mammillary area

mENK:

Methionine enkephalin

MSH:

Melanocyte-stimulating hormone

MTZ:

Metronidazole (drug for nitroreductase cell ablation system)

NMDA:

N-methyl-d-aspartate–glutamate receptor agonist

NPO:

neurosecretory preoptic area/preoptic nucleus

NTS:

neurotensin

oc:

optic chiasm

Otp:

Orthopedia homeodomain transcription factor

OXT:

oxytocin

penka:

proenkephalin a

penkb:

proenkephalin b

Pit:

pituitary

PM:

magnocellular preoptic nucleus

PNC:

parvocellular neuroendocrine cells

PO:

preoptic area

poc:

postoptic commissure

pomc:

proopiomelanocortin

PPa:

anterior parvocellular preoptic nucleus

PPp:

posterior parvocellular preoptic nucleus

PT:

posterior tuberculum

PTh:

prethalamus

PVN:

paraventricular nucleus

r:

rostral

SIM1:

single minded-1

SCN:

suprachiasmatic nucleus

SON:

supraoptic nucleus

SPV:

supraoptoparaventricular region

SST/sst1.:

1 somatostatin

STAR:

steroidogenic acute regulatory protein

Tel:

telencephalon

TeO:

optic tectum

Th:

thalamus

TRH:

thyrotropin-releasing hormone

VIP:

vasoactive intestinal peptide

VMH:

ventromedial hypothalamus

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Funding

This study was funded by the Max Planck Society, the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, the German Federal Office for Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung) grant number 01GQ1404 to S.R., and German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) SPP1926 Next Generation Optogenetics grant to S.R.

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Correspondence to Soojin Ryu.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Nagpal, J., Herget, U., Choi, M.K. et al. Anatomy, development, and plasticity of the neurosecretory hypothalamus in zebrafish. Cell Tissue Res 375, 5–22 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-018-2900-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-018-2900-4

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