CALBINDIN-D-28K IS REGULATED BY ADRENAL-STEROIDS IN HYPOTHALAMIC TISSUE DURING PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

Regulation of calbindin-D-28k (CALB) in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) from male and female fetuses was examined by Western analysis. C ontrol fetal males displayed significantly higher MBH CALB levels comp ared to females at gestational day 20. Whereas, in general, the lowest CALB levels were recorded in male and female fetuses from long-term p renatally stressed or fetuses from adrenalectomized pregnant rats. The se data indicate that corticosterone regulates MBH CALB expression dur ing prenatal development and CALB may be implicated in modulating the sexual differentiation of neural structures within the MBH during peri natal development. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.