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- Title
Sexually dimorphic gastrin releasing peptide system in the spinal cord controls male reproductive functions.
- Authors
Sakamoto, Hirotaka; Matsuda, Ken-Ichi; Zuloaga, Damian G.; Hongu, Hisayuki; Wada, Etsuko; Wada, Keiji; Jordan, Cynthia L.; Breedlove, S. Marc; Kawata, Mitsuhiro
- Abstract
Neurons in the upper lumbar spinal cord project axons containing gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) to innervate lower lumbar regions controlling erection and ejaculation. This system is vestigial in female rats and in males with genetic dysfunction of androgen receptors, but in male rats, pharmacological stimulation of spinal GRP receptors restores penile reflexes and ejaculation after castration. GRP offers new avenues for understanding potential therapeutic approaches to masculine reproductive dysfunction.
- Subjects
SPINAL cord; GASTROINTESTINAL hormones; NEURONS; VETERINARY surgery; LUMBOSACRAL region; CENTRAL nervous system
- Publication
Nature Neuroscience, 2008, Vol 11, Issue 6, p634
- ISSN
1097-6256
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/nn.2126