In mammals a key hormone involved in reproduction is follicle-stimulating hormone, FSH. This hormone is released by the pituitary gland, which is connected to part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The mechanisms that regulate the timed release of this hormone are largely unknown. Recently it has been shown that the blood circulating to the pituitary from the brain can include an unknown compound that stimulates FSH release (FSH-releasing factor, or FSH-RF) in a pulsatile fashion. This action seems to be independent from the release regulated by the known contribution of the compound activin, or of another releasing hormone called GnRH. This project utilizes biochemical, pharmacological and anatomical techniques, with a novel model system to separate the neural supply from the blood supply to the pituitary, to localize the timing and source of this novel releasing factor as a step towards identifying it. Results will be very important for neuroendocrinology by clarifying release mechanisms for a major hormone involved in puberty as well as reproduction, and will have a likely impact also in veterinary and agricultural fields.
