ABSTRACT
I. Introduction................................................................................. 153 II. Endogenous Property of Pulse Generation in LHRH
Neurons ....................................................................................... 154 A. Pulsatile LHRH Release
In Vitro
.......................................... 154 B. Oscillatory Activity of LHRH Neurons ............................... 154 C. Synchronization of Oscillatory Activity .............................. 155
III. Cellular Mechanism of LHRH Pulse Generation ..................... 157 A. LHRH Neuronal Activity Depends on Extracellular
Calcium .................................................................................. 157 B. Oscillatory Activity and Neurosecretion ............................. 157 C. Intracellular Ca
Mobilization............................................. 159 D. Factors that Determine the Timing of LHRH Pulse
Generation.............................................................................. 159 E. Possible Mechanisms of Synchronization among
LHRH Neurons...................................................................... 162 IV. Conclusions ................................................................................. 163 V. Acknowledgments ...................................................................... 163
References ............................................................................................. 164
The decapeptide, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), is released into the portal circulation in a pulsatile manner, and this pulsatility is essential for synthesis and secretion of pituitary gonadotropins and hence for normal reproductive function.
