Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Regulation of Food Intake01:30

Regulation of Food Intake

3.1K
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
3.1K
Lethal Alleles02:41

Lethal Alleles

19.0K
Agouti: A Lethal Allele
Lucien Cuénot discovered lethal alleles in 1905 while studying the inheritance of coat color in mice. The agouti gene is responsible for the color of the coat in mice. This gene codes for an agouti-signaling protein, which is responsible for melanin distribution in mammals. The wild-type allele gives rise to gray-brown coat color in mice, while the mutant allele gives rise to yellow coat color. In addition to coat color, the agouti gene is associated with the yellow...
19.0K
Hormones of the Pituitary Gland01:27

Hormones of the Pituitary Gland

14.5K
The small, pea-sized pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain. It is crucial in regulating various bodily functions, from growth to reproduction. The gland is divided into the anterior lobe and the posterior lobe. The secretory cell clusters in the pars distalis of the anterior pituitary lobe are controlled by hypothalamic regulators and synthesize six primary hormones.
The most abundantly secreted hormone from the anterior lobe is the growth hormone, which controls overall growth by...
14.5K
Hormonal Regulation of the Menstrual Cycle01:22

Hormonal Regulation of the Menstrual Cycle

2.1K
The ovarian cycle regulates endometrial changes throughout a single menstrual cycle via the coordinated action of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and gonadotrophins.
At puberty, GnRH begins a pulsatile release pattern, which triggers the anterior pituitary gland to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The frequency and amplitude of GnRH pulses vary across the menstrual cycle, with faster pulses favoring LH release and slower pulses favoring FSH...
2.1K
Non-LTR Retrotransposons03:18

Non-LTR Retrotransposons

13.8K
As the name suggests, non-LTR retrotransposons lack the long terminal repeats characteristic of the LTR retrotransposons. Additionally, both LTR and non-LTR retrotransposons use distinct mechanisms of mobilization. Non-LTR retrotransposons are further divided into two classes - Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), both of which occur abundantly in most mammals, including humans. Some of the active non-LTR retrotransposons in humans are L1...
13.8K
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis01:37

Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis

69.3K
The response to stress—be it physical or psychological, acute or chronic—involves activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is part of the neuroendocrine system because it involves both neuronal and hormonal communication. Its function is to regulate homeostatic systems—metabolic, cardiovascular, and immune—providing the necessary means to respond to a stressor.
69.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Melatonin and Mitochondrial Redox Homeostasis in Reproduction: Mechanistic Links Between Circadian Signaling and Fertility Outcomes.

Biology·2026
Same author

Endometrial Microbiome Profiles in Women Evaluated for Infertility or Recurrent Miscarriage: A Single-Center Descriptive Study.

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

The Microbiome-Mitochondria-Extracellular Vesicle Axis in HPV Persistence and Cervical Carcinogenesis.

Genes·2026
Same author

Psychological Experiences of Pregnancy Following Transplantation: A Systematic Qualitative Review.

Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)·2026
Same author

Epigenetics, Oxidative Stress, and the Microbiome in Endometriosis: Toward an Integrated Mechanistic Framework for Precision Medicine.

Journal of personalized medicine·2026
Same author

Investigating the Demographic Foundation of Fertility: Temporal Trends in the Female Population of Reproductive Age in Greece, 1956-2024.

Cureus·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Author Spotlight: Hypothalamic Neural Mechanism Insights
09:29

Author Spotlight: Hypothalamic Neural Mechanism Insights

Published on: August 4, 2023

4.9K

Leptin Receptor b (LEPRb) Mutations Disrupt Hypothalamic Control of the Reproductive Axis.

Athanasios Zikopoulos1, Efthalia Moustakli2, Periklis Katopodis3

  • 1Department of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 235 Euston Road, London NW1 2BU, UK.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|March 14, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Leptin resistance due to LEPRb mutations impairs reproductive function by disrupting the GnRH axis. Kisspeptin signaling is key, with new therapies targeting this pathway for metabolic-reproductive disorders.

Keywords:
JAK2/STAT3 signalingKiss1central leptin resistancegonadotropin-releasing hormonehypothalamic circuitryinfertilitymetabolic–reproductive integrationneuroendocrine regulationpubertal failurereceptor signaling defects

More Related Videos

White and Brown Adipose Grafts: An Approach to Correct Reproductive, Metabolic, and Renal Deficits in Black and Tan Brachyury (BTBR) Obese Mice
06:16

White and Brown Adipose Grafts: An Approach to Correct Reproductive, Metabolic, and Renal Deficits in Black and Tan Brachyury (BTBR) Obese Mice

Published on: September 9, 2025

543
Determination of Reproductive Competence by Confirming Pubertal Onset and Performing a Fertility Assay in Mice and Rats
06:38

Determination of Reproductive Competence by Confirming Pubertal Onset and Performing a Fertility Assay in Mice and Rats

Published on: October 13, 2018

16.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Author Spotlight: Hypothalamic Neural Mechanism Insights
09:29

Author Spotlight: Hypothalamic Neural Mechanism Insights

Published on: August 4, 2023

4.9K
White and Brown Adipose Grafts: An Approach to Correct Reproductive, Metabolic, and Renal Deficits in Black and Tan Brachyury (BTBR) Obese Mice
06:16

White and Brown Adipose Grafts: An Approach to Correct Reproductive, Metabolic, and Renal Deficits in Black and Tan Brachyury (BTBR) Obese Mice

Published on: September 9, 2025

543
Determination of Reproductive Competence by Confirming Pubertal Onset and Performing a Fertility Assay in Mice and Rats
06:38

Determination of Reproductive Competence by Confirming Pubertal Onset and Performing a Fertility Assay in Mice and Rats

Published on: October 13, 2018

16.5K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Reproductive Biology
  • Metabolic Signaling

Background:

  • Leptin, produced by adipocytes, regulates reproductive function via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis.
  • Loss-of-function mutations in the leptin receptor (LEPRb) cause central leptin resistance.
  • This resistance disrupts neuroendocrine control of reproduction, leading to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of kisspeptin signaling in leptin-dependent reproductive regulation.
  • To discuss current therapeutic limitations and emerging strategies for LEPRb dysfunction.
  • To explore how LEPRb dysfunction impacts metabolic-reproductive integration.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of molecular, translational, and clinical data.
  • Review of evidence from human monogenic obesity syndromes and animal models.
  • Analysis of neuroendocrine studies on hypothalamic circuitry and GnRH neurons.

Main Results:

  • LEPRb mutations disrupt JAK2/STAT3, PI3K, and MAPK signaling pathways.
  • Mutations impair GnRH pulsatility upstream of GnRH neurons, causing HH and infertility.
  • Kisspeptin-mediated signaling is central to leptin's regulation of reproduction.

Conclusions:

  • LEPRb dysfunction is a critical link between metabolism and reproduction.
  • Kisspeptin-based therapies and receptor-targeted strategies show therapeutic potential.
  • Understanding LEPRb's role offers insights into both rare and common reproductive dysfunctions.