Calbindin-D28k is regulated by adrenal steroids in hypothalamic tissue during prenatal development

Regulation of calbindin-D28k (CALB) in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) from male and female fetuses was examined by Western analysis. Control fetal males displayed significantly higher MBH CALB levels compared to females at gestational day 20. Whereas, in general, the lowest CALB levels were recorded in male and female fetuses from long-term prenatally stressed or fetuses from adrenalectomized pregnant rats. These data indicate that corticosterone regulates MBH CALB expression during prenatal development and CALB may be implicated in modulating the sexual differentiation of neural structures within the MBH during perinatal development.