Journal
NATURE
Volume 426, Issue 6963, Pages 178-181Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/nature02117
Keywords
-
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Reproduction of many temperate zone birds is under photoperiodic control. The Japanese quail is an excellent model for studying the mechanism of photoperiodic time measurement because of its distinct and marked response to changing photoperiods. Studies on this animal have suggested that the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) is an important centre controlling photoperiodic time measurement(1-8). Here we report that expression in the MBH of the gene encoding type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase (Dio2), which catalyses the intracellular deiodination of thyroxine (T-4) prohormone to the active 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T-3), is induced by light in Japanese quail. Intracerebroventricular administration of T-3 mimics the photoperiodic response, whereas the Dio2 inhibitor iopanoic acid prevents gonadal growth. These findings demonstrate that light-induced Dio2 expression in the MBH may be involved in the photoperiodic response of gonads in Japanese quail.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available