Fig. 2.

Effects of neonatal estrogenization and prepubertal gonadectomy on Kiss1 mRNA expression in ARC of prepubertal rats. a Schematic representation of the experimental schedule of the experiment; EB estradiol benzoate, GDX gonadectomized, PND postnatal day. b Representative photographs of Kiss1 mRNA expressing neurons in ARC of PND18 males that were GDX or left intact on PND14 and females that received oil or EB injection on PND0 and were GDX or left intact on PND14. 3V Third ventricle. Scale bar 150 μm. c Mean number of Kiss1 mRNA expressing neurons in ARC of each experimental group. Error bars SEM. Bars labeled with different letters are significantly different from each other (p < 0.05). Asterisks indicate significant differences from corresponding intact group (p < 0.05)