The ARC is full of neurons other than POMC/CART and AgRP/NPY

Tuesday, 5 July 2011

I have long suspected that the neurons of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC) express much more then the anorexigenic POMC/CART and the orexigenic AgRP/NPY peptides. And in the last two days I learned what else can be found in the ARC. It's quite a selection...

POMC and CART... mostly co-expressed, essential for energy balance regulation
AgRP and NPY... co-expressed, essential for energy balance regulation
kisspeptin... assumed to connect reproduction to energy balance
neurokinin B
dynorphin... apparently the last three are co-expressed together within one neuron
dopamine
SOC3... co-expressed with both POMC and AgRP, associated with energy balance
TMEM18... found generally in neurons, associated with energy balance

and the list continues. It makes it very interesting to study this nucleus and the complex neural networks.

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