id_742. ROLE OF GLIAL PITUICYTES IN NEUROHYPOPHYSEAL SYNAPTIC MORPHOGENESIS
Naveen Nedunchezhian1, Athul Ramesh1, Natalia Kowalewska1, Sebastian Pecherz1, Felix Klenner2, Gilbert Weindinger2, Savani Anbalagan1
1 Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
2 Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
INTRODUCTION: Neurohypophysis (posterior pituitary) is a major neuroendocrine interface in the brain through which water homeostasis is maintained. Neurohypophysis majorly consists of glial pituicytes, neuropeptides oxytocin- and vasopressin-loaded loaded synapses and permeable capillaries.
AIM(S): We recently identified that pituicyte-derived secreted factor can regulate neurohypophyseal neurovascular morphogenesis. However, the role of other secreted factors expressed in the neurohypophysis in neurovascular morphogenesis is unknown
METHOD(S): To achieve this goal, we have employed pharmacological and genetic perturbations to investigate the roles of candidate molecules that regulate neurohypophyseal synapse morphogenesis.
RESULTS: We found that pharmocological and genetic pertubation of Wnt signalling can regulate neurohypophysis axonal and synaptic morphogenesis. Through transcriptomic datamining, we have identified some Wnt regulators as potential candidate genes and signaling pathways that govern NH-specific axonbal and synaptic morphogenesis
CONCLUSIONS: Our studies of the glial pituicytes are expected to reveal novel players in the development of a key neuroendocrine interface conserved in vertebrates.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT: SONATA-BIS 2020/38/E/NZ3/00090