Lecture 6: Hypothalamus Neuro-circuitry Flashcards
Describe the location of tanycytes in relation to the ME and the importance of this
They sit on fenestrated capillaries and so their end feet are in contact with the circulation system.
All also sit need to CSF on their ventricular side.
This allows for sampling of the blood & CSF to figure out the internal state of the body.
Why are tanycytes potentially stem cells?
They sit next to a huge capillary supply (the portal blood).
Throughout the body stem cell niches of any kind are heavily vascularised in order to respond to environmental changes.
How do we know that new neurogenesis is occurring in the adult hypothalamus?
Studies in rats and mice.
Look in the nucleus of hypothalamic cells for markers of S phase of the cell cycle.
Use bromodeoxyurdodine (BRDU) labelling and inject it into the mouse 3rd ventricle so that it diffuse into the hypothalamus. Check a week later to see if any neurons have incorporated BRDU.
Why does new neurogenesis occur?
In response to acute physiological changes e.g. dramatic alterations to a mouse diet or putting them in a very stressful environment (new physiological state).
