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Medial preoptic area in mice is capable of mediating sexually dimorphic behaviors regardless of gender

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  • Yi-Chao Wei

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Shao-Ran Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhuo-Lei Jiao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Wen Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jun-Kai Lin

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xing-Yu Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Shuai-Shuai Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xin Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xiao-Hong Xu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

The medial preoptic area (mPOA) differs between males and females in nearly all species examined to date, including humans. Here, using fiber photometry recordings of Ca2+ transients in freely behaving mice, we show ramping activities in the mPOA that precede and correlate with sexually dimorphic display of male-typical mounting and female-typical pup retrieval. Strikingly, optogenetic stimulation of the mPOA elicits similar display of mounting and pup retrieval in both males and females. Furthermore, by means of recording, ablation, optogenetic activation, and inhibition, we show mPOA neurons expressing estrogen receptor alpha (Esr1) are essential for the sexually biased display of these behaviors. Together, these results underscore the shared layout of the brain that can mediate sex-specific behaviors in both male and female mice and provide an important functional frame to decode neural mechanisms governing sexually dimorphic behaviors in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Yi-Chao Wei & Shao-Ran Wang & Zhuo-Lei Jiao & Wen Zhang & Jun-Kai Lin & Xing-Yu Li & Shuai-Shuai Li & Xin Zhang & Xiao-Hong Xu, 2018. "Medial preoptic area in mice is capable of mediating sexually dimorphic behaviors regardless of gender," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-02648-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02648-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Jing-Jing Yan & Xiao-Jing Ding & Ting He & Ai-Xiao Chen & Wen Zhang & Zi-Xian Yu & Xin-Yu Cheng & Chuan-Yao Wei & Qiao-Dan Hu & Xiao-Yao Liu & Yan-Li Zhang & Mengge He & Zhi-Yong Xie & Xi Zha & Chun X, 2022. "A circuit from the ventral subiculum to anterior hypothalamic nucleus GABAergic neurons essential for anxiety-like behavioral avoidance," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, December.

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