Central and Local Modulators of Reproduction and Fertility: An Update (4th Edition)
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2024 | Viewed by 44
Special Issue Editor
Interests: endocannabinoid system; endocannabinoids–GnRH–steroids crosstalk; kisspeptins; reproduction; HPG axis; spermatogenesis; spermatozoa; endocrine disruptors; epigenetics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Reproduction and fertility depend on the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonad (HPG) axis. The key actor in HPG axis activity is the hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which is a decapeptide able to induce the discharge of pituitary gonadotropins (follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH)), which in turn sustain the production of sex steroids by the gonads, with successful gametogenesis as a result. In addition to intricate endocrine communication routes, paracrine and autocrine communications along the HPG axis also ensure successful gametogenesis. In this respect, the list of centrally and peripherally produced modulators of reproduction is growing and deserves attention in order to preserve both reproduction and fertility through the formation of high-quality gametes. In fact, reproduction is highly sensitive to environmental factors such as diet, stress, or endocrine disruptors, among others, and the possibility of the epigenetic modulation of reproduction with transgenerational outcomes has recently been raised. To date, several modulators exert their activity within the hypothalamus, modulating the activity of GnRH-secreting neurons in response to exogenous and endogenous environmental “cues”; similarly, peripherally produced modulators directly affect gametogenesis with effects on reproduction and fertility. Despite the experimental evidence, molecular and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of HPG activity remain to be fully elucidated, hence the need to fill this gap in order to devise clinically effective treatment strategies.
This Special Issue aims at expanding the current knowledge on central and local modulators of reproduction and fertility in both physiological and pathological conditions, as well as on their possible therapeutic exploitation. Experimental studies in vitro and in vivo models, review articles, and clinical studies are all welcome for consideration.
Prof. Dr. Rosaria Meccariello
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- reproduction
- fertility
- HPG axis
- testis
- ovary
- spermatogenesis
- ovogenesis
- gametes
- GnRH
- gonadotropins
- sex steroids
- kisspeptins
- GnIH
- metabolic sensors
- leptin
- endocannabinoids
- autocrine/paracrine regulators
- protein/peptide hormones
- lipid mediators
- epigenetics
Related Special Issues
- Central and Local Modulators of Reproduction and Fertility: An Update in International Journal of Molecular Sciences (13 articles)
- Central and Local Modulators of Reproduction and Fertility: An Update 2.0 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences (12 articles)
- Central and Local Modulators of Reproduction and Fertility: An Update 3.0 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences (9 articles)
