Neurons synthesizing melanin-concentrating hormone identified by selective reporter gene expression after transfection in vitro: transmitter responses.

Abstract excerpt

Neurons from the lateral hypothalamus that synthesize melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) play an important role in the regulation of energy homeostasis. Relatively little is known of the cellular physiology and transmitter responses of these neurons, in part because of the difficulty in identifying live MCH cells. Here we use a novel approach of transfection of specific gene constructs with the MCH promoter...

Topics

• 2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate
• 6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione
• Animals
• Bicuculline
• Calcium Channel Blockers
• Calcium Channels
• Cells, Cultured
• Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
• Gene Expression
• Genes, Reporter
• Hypothalamic Hormones
• Immunohistochemistry