Growth hormone influence in gonads histology of male and female mice.

• Grant number: 23/07030-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: May 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Jose Donato Junior
• Grantee: Mayara Guilherme de Alencar
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07607-8 - OCRC - Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Reproductive activity is coordinated by the interaction between the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, hormone secretion and neuronal stimuli. The gonadotrophic hormones, among other pituitary hormones, act in the gonads through the bloodstream so that gametogenesis and secretion of gonadal hormones are maintained in a proper way to propitiate reproduction. It is known that alterations in the secretion of growth hormone (GH) are associated with reproductive deficiencies. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate whether the gonads of mice suffer histological changes due to GH deficiency or hypersecretion. Adult animals (male and female) with spontaneous GH deficiency and respective control, or transgenic animals that hyper secrete GH and respective control will be used. Animals with the specific mutations and respective controls will be generated from the same litters. The gonads will be collected and submitted to histological processing for evaluation of seminiferous tubules or ovarian follicles morphometry. The proposed project aims to clarify whether peripheral changes, in gonads, contribute to the suppression of the HPG axis due to alterations in GH secretion.