Wayne Laboratory

The focus of my research is to understand cell physiological mechanisms controlling reproduction. In vertebrates, there are neurons in the central nervous system that synthesize and secrete the decapeptide hormone called gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) -- these are the command cells that control all aspects of reproduction. Because GnRH neurons are few in number and scattered in the CNS, their cell physiology has been difficult or unfeasible to study. We have overcome this obstacle by using transgenic fish (zebrafish and medaka) in which GnRH neurons are genetically tagged with fluorescent proteins for identification in living intact brain and in embryos. This allows us to target single, identified neurons within their neural network for neurophysiological analysis under different reproductive and developmental conditions. We use a combination of electrophysiology and optical imaging to analyze neurophysiological functions under different reproductive and de
velopmental conditions. In collaboration with molecular geneticists, we use transgenic and gene knockdown strategies to manipulate gene expression.