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Chapter 12
Kisspeptin and Puberty in Mammals
Ei Terasawa , Kathryn A. Guerriero , and Tony M. Plant
Abstract Since the discovery of the G-protein coupled receptor 54 (kisspeptin
receptor) and its ligand, kisspeptin, our understanding of the neurobiological mecha-
nisms that govern the pituitary-gonadal axis has evolved dramatically. In this chapter,
we have reviewed progress regarding the relationship between kisspeptin and puberty,
and have proposed a novel hypothesis for the role of kisspeptin signaling in the onset
of this crucial developmental event. According to this hypothesis, although kiss-
peptin neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) are critical for puberty, this is simply
because these cells are an integral component of the hypothalamic GnRH pulse gen-
erating mechanism that drives intermittent release of the decapeptide, as an increase
in GnRH is obligatory for the onset of puberty. In our model, ARC kisspeptin neurons
play no “regulatory” role in controlling the timing of puberty. Rather, as a component
of the neural network responsible for GnRH pulse generation, they subserve upstream
regulatory mechanisms that are responsible for the timing of puberty.
Abbreviations
ARC
Arcuate nucleus
AVPV
Anteroventral periventricular nucleus
E 2
Estradiol
E R
α
Estrogen receptor alpha
GABA
γ
-Aminobutyric acid
E. Terasawa , Ph.D. ( * ) ￿ K. A. Guerriero
Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin,
1223 Capitol Court , Madison , WI 53715-1299 , USA
e-mail: terasawa@primate.wisc.edu
T. M. Plant
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine , Pittsburgh , PA , USA
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