HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Goubillon, M.-L. Articles by Thalabard, J.-C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Goubillon, M.-L. Articles by Thalabard, J.-C.

Hypothalamic multiunit activity and pulsatile luteinizing hormone release in the castrated male rat

Goubillon M-L, Kaufman J-M, Thalabard J-C. Hypothalamic multiunit activity and pulsatile luteinizing hormone release in the castrated male rat. Eur J Endocrinol 1995:133:585–90. ISSN 0804–4643

Using chronically implanted microelectrodes, multiunit electrical activity (MUA) was recorded from the arcuate nucleus of freely moving gonadectomized male rats. Intermittent increases in MUA activity (MUA volleys) closely associated with luteinizing hormone pulses measured in the peripheral circulation were observed, which confirms that this experimental approach can be used for monitoring the activity of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone-associated hypothalamic pulse generator in the male rat. The mean MUA volley frequency was 22.2 min (range 13–38 min), whereas the mean MUA volley duration was 2.7 ± 0.8 min (standard deviation). In addition to a large inter-individual variability, MUA volley intervals also showed an important intra-individual variability. This observation suggests that, beside the mean frequency of pulse generator activation, the degree of variability in gonadotropin-releasing hormone-associated pulse generator activity might be an additional relevant parameter in the characterization of the reproductive function in the male rat.

M-L Goubillon, Laboratoire d'Histologie et d'Embryologie, Faculté de Médecine, CNRS URA 1454, 69600 Oullins, France