Nature Communications (Sep 2017)

Tanycytes control the hormonal output of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis

  • Helge Müller-Fielitz,
  • Marcus Stahr,
  • Mareike Bernau,
  • Marius Richter,
  • Sebastian Abele,
  • Victor Krajka,
  • Anika Benzin,
  • Jan Wenzel,
  • Kathrin Kalies,
  • Jens Mittag,
  • Heike Heuer,
  • Stefan Offermanns,
  • Markus Schwaninger

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00604-6
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 13

Abstract

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The hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis regulates a wide range of physiological processes. Here the authors show that hypothalamic tanycytes play a role in the homeostatic regulation of the HPT axis; activation of TRH signaling in tanycytes elevates their intracellular Ca2+ via Gαq/11 pathway, ultimately resulting in reduced TRH release into the pituitary vessels.