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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Isolation of Targeted Hypothalamic Neurons for Studies of Hormonal, Metabolic, and Electrical Regulation
Published on: August 4, 2023
The cloned avian neurohypophysial hormone receptors
Dennis A Baeyens1, Lawrence E Cornett
1Department of Biology, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2801 S. University, Little Rock, AR 72204, USA. dabaeyens@ualr.edu
Abstract:
Arginine vasotocin (AVT), a neurohypophysial hormone, has many essential functions in birds including the regulation of salt and fluid balance, blood pressure, the stress response and a variety of behaviors. In addition, AVT controls reproductive functions in birds that are served by oxytocin in mammals. In the following review, we examine the functions of AVT in birds with an emphasis on the present state of knowledge concerning the cloned receptors for this important hormone. Receptor and gene structure, signal transduction mechanisms and expression pattern are all discussed. Finally, we explore the phylogenetic relationships between the cloned avian receptors and other vertebrate and invertebrate neurohypophysial hormone receptors.
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