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Journal of Biological Rhythms
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Direct Innervation of GnRH Neurons by Encephalic Photoreceptors in Birds

Colin J. Saldanha

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; Department of Physiological Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 621 Charles E. Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Ann-Judith Silverman

Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Columbia University

Rae Silver

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Columbia University; Psychology Departments, Barnard College and Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Psychology, Columbia University MAILCODE 5501, 1190 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USAqr{at}columbia.edu

In nonmammalian vertebrates, photic cues that regulate the timing of seasonal reproductive cyclicity are detected by nonretinal, nonpineal deep brain photoreceptors. It has long been assumed that the underlying mechanism involves the transmission of photic information from the photoreceptor to a circadian system, and thence to the reproductive axis. An alternative hypothesis is that there is direct communication between the brain photoreceptor and the reproductive axis. In the present study, light and confocal microscopy reveal that gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons and processes are scattered among photoreceptor cells (identified by their opsin-immunoreactivity) in the lateral septum (SL). In the median eminence (ME), opsin and GnRH immunoreactive fibers overlap extensively. Single and double label ultrastructural immunocytochemistry indicate that in the SL and preoptic area (POA), opsin positive terminals form axo-dendritic synapses onto GnRH dendrites. In the ME, opsin and GnRH terminals lie adjacent to each other, make contact with tanycytes, or terminate on the hypophyseal portal capillaries. These results reveal that brain photoreceptors communicate directly with GnRH-neurons; this represents a means by which photoperiodic information reaches the reproductive axis.

Key Words: circadian • avian • brain photoreceptor • GnRH • median eminence • opsin • VIP

Journal of Biological Rhythms, Vol. 16, No. 1, 39-49 (2001)
DOI: 10.1177/074873040101600105
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