Arcuate nucleus (hypothalamus)

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Arcuate nucleus (hypothalamus)
HypothalamicNuclei.PNG
Arcuate nucleus is 'AR', at bottom center, in green.
Details
Part of Hypothalamus
Identifiers
Latin nucleus arcuatus hypothalami
MeSH D001111
NeuroNames 395
NeuroLex ID birnlex_1638
TA98 A14.1.08.923
TA2 5726
FMA 62329
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH), [1] or ARC, [2] is also known as the infundibular nucleus to distinguish it from the arcuate nucleus of the medulla oblongata in the brainstem. [1] The arcuate nucleus is an aggregation of neurons in the mediobasal hypothalamus, adjacent to the third ventricle and the median eminence. The arcuate nucleus includes several important and diverse populations of neurons that help mediate different neuroendocrine and physiological functions, including neuroendocrine neurons, centrally projecting neurons, and astrocytes. The populations of neurons found in the arcuate nucleus are based on the hormones they secrete or interact with and are responsible for hypothalamic function, such as regulating hormones released from the pituitary gland or secreting their own hormones. Neurons in this region are also responsible for integrating information and providing inputs to other nuclei in the hypothalamus or inputs to areas outside this region of the brain. These neurons, generated from the ventral part of the periventricular epithelium during embryonic development, locate dorsally in the hypothalamus, becoming part of the ventromedial hypothalamic region. [3] [2] [4] The function of the arcuate nucleus relies on its diversity of neurons, but its central role is involved in homeostasis. The arcuate nucleus provides many physiological roles involved in feeding, metabolism, fertility, and cardiovascular regulation. [3] [2] [4] [5]

Contents

Cell populations

Neuroendocrine neurons

Different groups of arcuate nucleus neuroendocrine neurons secrete various types or combinations of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, such as neuropeptide Y (NPY), gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), agouti-related peptide (AgRP), cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART), kisspeptin, dopamine, substance P, growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH), neurokinin B (NKB), β-endorphin, melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), and somatostatin. Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) is a precursor polypeptide that is cleaved into MSH, ACTH, and β-endorphin and expressed in the arcuate nucleus. [3]

Groups of neuroendocrine neurons include:

Centrally-projecting neurons

Other types of neurons have projection pathways from the arcuate nucleus to mediate different regions of the hypothalamus or to other regions outside of the hypothalamus. [2] [4] Projections of these neurons extend a long distance from the arcuate nucleus to the median eminence to influence the release of hormones from the pituitary gland. [3] [2] Neurons of the arcuate nucleus have intrahypothalamic projections for neuroendocrine circuitry. [3] such as neural projections that influence feeding behavior project to the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH), the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH), and the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). [3] Populations of neurons connect to the intermediate lobes of the pituitary gland, from the lateral division of the ARH to the neural and intermediate parts of the pituitary gland, and the caudal division of ARH to the median eminence. [2]

Groups of neurons that project elsewhere within the central nervous system include:

Other cells

Other cell populations include:

References

  1. 1 2 Song J, Choi SY (December 2023). "Arcuate Nucleus of the Hypothalamus: Anatomy, Physiology, and Diseases". Exp Neurobiol. 32 (6): 371–386. doi:10.5607/en23040. PMC   10789173 . PMID   38196133.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Dudas B (2013). The Human Hypothalamus: Anatomy, Functions and Disorders. New York: Nova Science Publishers. ISBN   978-1-62081-806-0.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bouret SG, Draper SJ, Simerly RB (March 2004). "Formation of projection pathways from the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus to hypothalamic regions implicated in the neural control of feeding behavior in mice". The Journal of Neuroscience. 24 (11): 2797–805. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5369-03.2004 . PMC   6729527 . PMID   15028773.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Sapru HN (April 2013). "Role of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus in cardiovascular regulation". Autonomic Neuroscience. 175 (1–2): 38–50. doi:10.1016/j.autneu.2012.10.016. PMC   3625681 . PMID   23260431.
  5. Coppari R, Ichinose M, Lee CE, Pullen AE, Kenny CD, McGovern RA, Tang V, Liu SM, Ludwig T, Chua SC, Lowell BB, Elmquist JK (January 2005). "The hypothalamic arcuate nucleus: a key site for mediating leptin's effects on glucose homeostasis and locomotor activity". Cell Metabolism. 1 (1): 63–72. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2004.12.004 . PMID   16054045.
  6. 1 2 Voogt JL, Lee Y, Yang S, Arbogast L (2001-01-01). "Chapter 12 Regulation of prolactin secretion during pregnancy and lactation". The Maternal Brain. Progress in Brain Research. Vol. 133. pp. 173–85. doi:10.1016/S0079-6123(01)33013-3. ISBN   9780444505484. PMID   11589129.
  7. Sawai N, Iijima N, Takumi K, Matsumoto K, Ozawa H (September 2012). "Immunofluorescent histochemical and ultrastructural studies on the innervation of kisspeptin/neurokinin B neurons to tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurons in the arcuate nucleus of rats". Neuroscience Research. 74 (1): 10–6. doi:10.1016/j.neures.2012.05.011. PMID   22691459. S2CID   38679755.
  8. Mano-Otagiri A, Nemoto T, Sekino A, Yamauchi N, Shuto Y, Sugihara H, Oikawa S, Shibasaki T (September 2006). "Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) neurons in the arcuate nucleus (Arc) of the hypothalamus are decreased in transgenic rats whose expression of ghrelin receptor is attenuated: Evidence that ghrelin receptor is involved in the up-regulation of GHRH expression in the arc". Endocrinology. 147 (9): 4093–103. doi: 10.1210/en.2005-1619 . PMID   16728494.
  9. Baltatzi M, Hatzitolios A, Tziomalos K, Iliadis F, Zamboulis C (September 2008). "Neuropeptide Y and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone: interaction in obesity and possible role in the development of hypertension". International Journal of Clinical Practice. 62 (9): 1432–40. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-1241.2008.01823.x . PMID   18793378. S2CID   33693505.
  10. Carlson NR (2012). Physiology of Behavior Books a La Carte Edition (11th ed.). Boston: Pearson College Div. ISBN   978-0-205-23981-8.
  11. Arora S, Anubhuti (December 2006). "Role of neuropeptides in appetite regulation and obesity--a review". Neuropeptides. 40 (6): 375–401. doi:10.1016/j.npep.2006.07.001. PMID   16935329. S2CID   35190198.
  12. Riediger T, Traebert M, Schmid HA, Scheel C, Lutz TA, Scharrer E (May 2003). "Site-specific effects of ghrelin on the neuronal activity in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus". Neuroscience Letters. 341 (2): 151–5. doi:10.1016/S0304-3940(02)01381-2. PMID   12686388. S2CID   34697353.
  13. Schaeffer M, Langlet F, Lafont C, Molino F, Hodson DJ, Roux T, Lamarque L, Verdié P, Bourrier E, Dehouck B, Banères JL, Martinez J, Méry PF, Marie J, Trinquet E, Fehrentz JA, Prévot V, Mollard P (January 2013). "Rapid sensing of circulating ghrelin by hypothalamic appetite-modifying neurons". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 110 (4): 1512–7. Bibcode:2013PNAS..110.1512S. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1212137110 . PMC   3557016 . PMID   23297228.

Footnotes