Recent developments in the molecular physiology of the neuroendocrine system

Abstract

The neuroendocrine system, in particular the hypothalamic pituitary system, plays important roles in maintaining homeostasis with the autonomic nervous system in the whole body. The neurohypophysial system has been studied for a long time as a typical neuroendocrine model. Classical studies revealed the pressor effects of pituitary extract on the whole body. In the middle of the twentieth century the neurohypophysial hormones named vasopressin and oxytocin were purified, identified and synthesized by biochemical methods. Subsequently, much knowledge has been accumulated through molecular biological approaches and modern techniques in life sciences. Recently, newly developed tools, optogenetics and chemogenetics, have been intensively used to reveal neuronal circuits related to brain/whole body functions including the autonomic nervous system. In this paper, recent progress in this field is reviewed together with our data obtained from optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches.