Fig. 4.

Effects of olfactory and/or mating stimulation on Kiss1 mRNA expression in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus-periventricular nucleus continuum (AVPV/PeN), arcuate nucleus (ARC) and medial amygdala (MeA) in intact male rats. Kiss1 mRNA expression determined by in situ hybridization in the AVPV/PeN (A), ARC (B) and MeA (C) in representative intact male rats exposed to clean bedding, female-soiled bedding, or female-soiled bedding with a female rat. The boxed area in the schematic illustration of the coronal section of the rat brain shows the location of the AVPV/PeN, ARC, or MeA examined. Insets show Kiss1 mRNA-expressing cells at higher-magnification in each brain area indicated by arrows in the photomicrographs. Scale bars, 100 μm; 3 V, the third ventricle; Opt, optic tract. The number of Kiss1 mRNA-expressing cells per section in the AVPV/PeN, ARC (the rostral, middle, and caudal divisions), and MeA of intact male rats exposed to clean bedding, female-soiled bedding, or female-soiled bedding with a female rat (D). The value with different characters shows a significant difference within the three groups (P < 0.05, one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni test). There was no significant difference (NS) between the groups (one-way ANOVA) in the number of the Kiss1 mRNA-expressing cells per section in the ARC (the rostral, middle, and caudal divisions) and MeA. Values are the means ± SEM. The number in each column indicates the number of animals used.