The hypothalamus is the key region that regulates the neuroendocrine system as well as instinct behaviors, and hypothalamic dysfunction causes refractory clinical problems. Recent studies have indicated that neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) in the hypothalamus play a crucial role in hypothalamic function. However, specific hypothalamic NSPC culture methods have not been established, especially not detailed or efficient surgical procedures. The present study presented a convenient, detailed and efficient method for the isolation and cultivation of hypothalamic NSPCs from embryonic day 12.5 mice. The procedure includes embryo acquisition, brain microdissection to quickly obtain hypothalamic tissue and hypothalamic NSPC culture. Hypothalamic NSPCs can be quickly harvested and grow well in both neurosphere and adherent cultures through this method. Additionally, we confirmed the cell origin and evaluated the proliferation and differentiation properties of cultured cells. In conclusion, we present a convenient and practical method for the isolation and cultivation of hypothalamic NSPCs that can be used in extensive hypothalamic studies.

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An Efficient Method for the Isolation and Cultivation of Hypothalamic Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells From Mouse Embryos

Adult neurogenesis of the median eminence contributes to structural reconstruction and recovery of body fluid metabolism in hypothalamic self-repair after pituitary stalk lesion

This study aimed to explore the mechanism underlying cognitive dysfunction mediated by the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) in a hypothalamic-hippocampal circuit in rats with lesion-induced hypothalamic obesity (HO). The HO model was established by electrically lesioning the hypothalamic nuclei. The open field (OP) test, Morris water maze (MWM), novel object recognition (NOR), and novel object location memory (NLM) tests were used to evaluate changes in cognition due to alterations in the hypothalamic-hippocampal circuit. Western blotting, immunohistochemical staining, and cholera toxin subunit B conjugated with Alexa Fluor 488 (CTB488) reverse tracer technology were used to determine synaptophysin (SYN), postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95), ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1), neuronal nuclear protein (NeuN), and Caspase3 expression levels and the hypothalamic-hippocampal circuit. In HO rats, severe obesity was associated with cognitive dysfunction after the lesion of the hypothalamus. Furthermore, neuronal apoptosis and activated microglia in the downstream of the lesion area (the LHA) induced microglial infiltration into the intact hippocampus via the LHA-hippocampal circuit, and the synapses engulfment in the hippocampus may be the underlying mechanism by which the remodeled microglial mediates memory impairments in HO rats. The HO rats exhibited microglial infiltration and synapse loss into the hippocampus from the lesioned LHA via the hypothalamic-hippocampal circuit. The underlying mechanisms of memory function may be related to the circuit.

/pdf/microglial-infiltration-mediates-cognitive-dysfunction-in-gswt10rb.pdf

Microglial infiltration mediates cognitive dysfunction in rat models of hypothalamic obesity via a hypothalamic-hippocampal circuit involving the lateral hypothalamic area

A procedure in mice to obtain intact pituitary-infundibulum-hypothalamus preparations: a method to evaluate the reconstruction of hypothalamohypophyseal system

Peirong Niu

Papers

A retaining sphenoid and dura procedure in the rat to obtain intact pituitary-infundibulum-hypothalamus preparations.

An Efficient Method for the Isolation and Cultivation of Hypothalamic Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells From Mouse Embryos