Estrogenic Regulation of LH Secretion in Prepubertal Ewes

The first objective of the project is to determine where in the hypothalamus estradiol acts, either the preoptic area or the arcuate nucleus. The second goal of the project is to determine what neuronal populations may be responsible for the shift in estradiol negative feedback that is associated with puberty onset. We will be assessing if numbers of AgRP, POMC, or NK3R containing neurons within the hypothalamus change over development as well as whether estrogen receptor alpha expression in each of these different sets of neurons changes.