Electrophysiological Actions of Peripheral Hormones on Melanocortin Neurons
Neurons of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) appear to be sites of convergence of central and peripheral signals of energy stores, and profoundly modulate the activity of the melanocortin circuits, providing a strong rationale for pursuing these circuits as therapeutic targets for disorders of energy homeostasis. Recently, tremendous advances have been made in identifying genes and pathways important to regulating energy homeostasis, particularly the hormone leptin and its receptor. This hormone/receptor pair is expressed at high levels in the so-called satiety centers in the hypothalamus, and at lower levels elsewhere in the body. Recent studies in our lab and those of our collaborators have shown that leptin modulates different populations of hypothalamic cells in different ways, rapidly activating POMC neurons and inhibiting NPY/AgRP neurons.
electrophysiology hypothalamus energy homeostasis neuropeptides food intake gut pro-opiomelanocortin (pomc) neuropeptide y (npy) agouti-related peptide (agrp) transgene