Distribution of estrogen target sites in the 2-day-old mouse forebrain and pituitary gland during the ‘critical period’ of sexual differentiation

doi:10.1016/0165-3806(91)90109-V

Developmental Brain Research

Volume 61, Issue 1, 16 July 1991, Pages 11-22

https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-3806(91)90109-V Get rights and content

Abstract

The present study provides a detailed anatomical description of estrogen target cells in the mouse forebrain and pituitary gland during the sexual imprinting stage of the brain. Six 2-day-old mice (3 males and 3 females) were s.c. injected with 16α-[¹²⁵I]iodo-11β-methoxy-17β-estradiol ([¹²⁵I]MIE₂) and two additional mice (one male and one female) were s.c. injected with 1000x unlabeled 17β-estradiol 1 h before [¹²⁵I]MIE₂ to check the specificity of estradiol binding. Two hours after injection the mice were decapitated, the brains dissected, frozen, sectioned, and processed for thaw mount autoradiography. The highest intensity of nuclear labeling was observed in the preoptic-anterior hypothalamic area, amygdala and cortex entorhinalis. Strong labeling was present in the cerebral cortex and moderate to strong labeling in the lateral septum, bed nucleus of stria terminalis and pituitary gland. Weak to moderate labeling was observed in the bulbus olfactorius, circumventricular organs, basal ganglia, ventral striatum, thalamus, hippocampus and pineal gland. No sex differences were observed in the intensity of labeling and distribution of the estrogen target sites. The topographic distribution of estrogen-concentrating cells in the hypothalamus of the 2-day-old mouse forebrain was similar to the adult pattern but differed prominently in the cerebral cortex, entorhinal cortex and thalamus: the cerebral cortex showed an extensive and intensive labeling, the intensity of labeling in the entorhinal cortex greatly exceeded that observed in the adult and the nucleus anterior medialis thalami was distinctly labeled.

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While brain and spinal cord have been the focus, in the same animals many other estradiol targets were discovered, including atrial cardiomyocytes, thymus reticular cells, Leydig cells, prostate epithelium and muscle cells, skin keratinocytes and dermal papillae fibroblasts (Stumpf and Sar, 1976a). Extensive studies of representatives of vertebrate phyla have pointed to homologous estradiol brain target areas and the significance of estradiol in multiple brain functions, including regions of potential sexual differentiation (Stumpf and Sar, 1978b; Sibug et al., 1991), providing a basis for further detailed investigations. Because of the wide distribution of estradiol target neurons in the brain, this author pondered that the 2500-year old credo of Alkmaion of Kroton ‘en to encephalon to hegemonicon’ may need to be modified to ‘en to oophoron to hegemonicon’.
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Research reportDistribution of estrogen target sites in the 2-day-old mouse forebrain and pituitary gland during the ‘critical period’ of sexual differentiation

Abstract

Brain Res.

Dev. Brain Res.

Dev. Brain Res.

Dev. Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Neurosci. Lett.

J. Steroid Biochem.

Exp. Neurol.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Exp. Neurol.

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Brain Res.

Autoradiographic study of cell migration during histogenesis of cerebral cortex in the mouse

Nature

Androgen and estrogen receptors in the developing mouse brain

Endocrinology

Characterization of 11β-methoxy-16α[125I]iodoestradiol binding: neuronal localization of estrogen binding sites in the developing rat brain

Endocrinology

Research report
Distribution of estrogen target sites in the 2-day-old mouse forebrain and pituitary gland during the ‘critical period’ of sexual differentiation

Characterization of 11β-methoxy-16α[¹²⁵I]iodoestradiol binding: neuronal localization of estrogen binding sites in the developing rat brain