Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination

Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination

The hypothalamus is a small yet highly complex and essential brain region that plays a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions. Anatomically, it is located at the base of the brain, just above the brainstem and below the thalamus, forming part of the limbic system.
The hypothalamus interacts with other brain regions, including the pituitary gland, through a direct physical connection called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The hypothalamus receives somatic and visceral inputs and...

Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors

Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors

Nuclear receptors, or NRs, are unique transcription factors that regulate gene transcription and affect the cellular pathways involved in reproduction, development, or metabolism. Their ability to be stimulated by small lipophilic ligands and control vital cellular processes makes them ideal drug targets. Nearly 10-15% of currently prescribed drugs target these receptors.
About 48 different soluble family members of nuclear receptors are identified that can be divided into two main classes:

Gonadal and Placental Hormones

Gonadal and Placental Hormones

The gonads, namely the testes in males and the ovaries in females, are pivotal in producing gonadal hormones that orchestrate the intricate processes of sexual development and reproduction.
In males, testosterone is the primary gonadal androgen. It plays a central role in the maturation of male reproductive organs — the penis and testes. Additionally, testosterone is instrumental in the development of secondary sexual characteristics — a deep voice as well as facial and pubic hair growth — and...

Intracellular Hormone Receptors

Intracellular Hormone Receptors

Lipid-soluble hormones diffuse across the plasma and nuclear membrane of target cells to bind to their specific intracellular receptors. These receptors act as transcription factors that regulate gene expression and protein synthesis in the target cell

Regulation of Hormone Secretion

Regulation of Hormone Secretion

Regulation of hormone secretion is a finely tuned orchestration driven by various types of stimuli, encompassing neural, humoral, and hormonal signals. Environmental cues instigate neural stimuli, where action potentials traverse nerve fibers to reach their designated targets. An illustrative scenario is the body's response to stress, wherein the sympathetic nervous system releases epinephrine from the adrenal glands, inducing the well-known 'fight or flight' reaction.
Humoral stimuli,...

Hormonal Regulation

Hormonal Regulation

Hormones regulate a significant portion of digestion through activation of the neuroendocrine system. The neuroendocrine system of digestion contains many different hormones all with multiple functions that are both, directly and indirectly, involved in digestion.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Exploring the social factors influencing the sense of belonging among medical students with disabilities.

Medical teacher·2026

Same author

Exploring perceptions of work motivation through the experiences of healthcare professionals who provided end-of-life care during the COVID-19 pandemic (PRECA-C project): a qualitative study.

Human resources for health·2025

Same author

Does the 2-week postpartum health checkup for term deliveries prevent postpartum depression? Analysis using a 10-year database from a university hospital in Japan.

Journal of affective disorders·2025

Same author

Caregiver burden and eating-related guilt during dysphagia rehabilitation: A descriptive cross-sectional time series study.

JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition·2024

Same author

Validation of Wistar-Kyoto rats kept in solitary housing as an animal model for depression using voxel-based morphometry.

Scientific reports·2024

Same author

Evaluation of preventive care for swallowing difficulty through policy changes in Japanese long-term care insurance: analysis of a nationwide claims dataset for long-term care insurance.

BMC health services research·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Isolation of Targeted Hypothalamic Neurons for Studies of Hormonal, Metabolic, and Electrical Regulation

Isolation of Targeted Hypothalamic Neurons for Studies of Hormonal, Metabolic, and Electrical Regulation

Published on: August 4, 2023

A recently identified hypothalamic nucleus expressing estrogen receptor alpha.

Hiroko Mori¹, Ken-Ichi Matsuda, Donald W Pfaff

¹Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|September 2, 2008

Summary

Researchers discovered a new nucleus in the rat hypothalamus, the sagittalis nucleus (SGN). This SGN shows significant sex differences and hormonal responsiveness, impacting endocrine functions and sexual behaviors.

More Related Videos

Imaging of Estrogen Receptor-α in Rat Pial Arterioles using a Digital Immunofluorescent Microscope

Imaging of Estrogen Receptor-α in Rat Pial Arterioles using a Digital Immunofluorescent Microscope

Published on: November 29, 2011

Identification of Dopamine D1-Alpha Receptor Within Rodent Nucleus Accumbens by an Innovative RNA In Situ Detection Technology

Identification of Dopamine D1-Alpha Receptor Within Rodent Nucleus Accumbens by an Innovative RNA In Situ Detection Technology

Published on: March 27, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Isolation of Targeted Hypothalamic Neurons for Studies of Hormonal, Metabolic, and Electrical Regulation

Isolation of Targeted Hypothalamic Neurons for Studies of Hormonal, Metabolic, and Electrical Regulation

Published on: August 4, 2023

Imaging of Estrogen Receptor-α in Rat Pial Arterioles using a Digital Immunofluorescent Microscope

Imaging of Estrogen Receptor-α in Rat Pial Arterioles using a Digital Immunofluorescent Microscope

Published on: November 29, 2011

Identification of Dopamine D1-Alpha Receptor Within Rodent Nucleus Accumbens by an Innovative RNA In Situ Detection Technology

Identification of Dopamine D1-Alpha Receptor Within Rodent Nucleus Accumbens by an Innovative RNA In Situ Detection Technology

Published on: March 27, 2018

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Endocrinology
Reproductive Biology

Background:

The hypothalamus regulates critical endocrine and behavioral functions.
Specific hypothalamic nuclei and their roles in sex differences are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify and characterize a novel nucleus in the rat hypothalamus.
To investigate the morphological and hormonal characteristics of this nucleus, particularly concerning sex differences.

Main Methods:

Nissl staining to visualize cellular structure.
Estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) immunohistochemistry to assess receptor distribution.
Analysis of morphological sex differences (volume, cell number).
Hormonal manipulation studies (neonatal testosterone treatment, estradiol benzoate injection).

Main Results:

A unique, spindle-shaped nucleus, termed the sagittalis nucleus (SGN), was identified in the rat hypothalamus.
The SGN is significantly larger in males than females, with sex differences in cell number and ERalpha immunoreactivity.
Neonatal testosterone exposure in females abolished these sex differences.
ERalpha-ir cell distribution in females varied with the estrous cycle, decreasing during proestrus.
Estradiol benzoate administration affected SGN neuron ERalpha-ir cell counts, indicating hormonal responsiveness.

Conclusions:

The sagittalis nucleus (SGN) is a distinct hypothalamic structure exhibiting significant sexual dimorphism.
The SGN's development and function are influenced by sex hormones, with evidence of hormonal responsiveness in adult females.
This nucleus may play a role in regulating endocrine functions and sexual behaviors due to its location and characteristics.