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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2011 Jul 1.
Published in final edited form as: Front Neuroendocrinol. 2010 Mar 3;31(3):270–283. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.02.005

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Steps of neural maturation that can be influenced by leptin (Lep) and insulin (Ins). Precursor cells differentiate into either glia or neurons. The latter migrate from their birth place to the position they occupy in the mature nervous system and then send out axonal projections to target areas. Some of these axons establish connections with target neurons (cell bodies and/or dendrites). This interaction provides trophic support for and allows survival of the presynaptic neuron. Those neurons which do not establish functional contacts undergo cell death (apoptosis). While most new neuron formation (neurogenesis) occurs before E18 in the hypothalamus, it now appears that neurogenesis can continue well into adult life. Steps at which leptin and/or insulin have effects to promote various steps of neuronal maturation are labeled by red ovals.