FIGURE 4.

Kisspeptin mRNA (Kiss1) in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of fed to maintain (FM) and feed‐restricted (FR) ovariectomized (OVX) lambs. Confocal images (20×) of Kiss1 cells (green) from a FM (A) and a FR (B) OVX lamb. Insets: 1 μm optical sections; 63× objective. (C) Mean ± SEM number of Kiss1 perikarya in the ARC was significantly different (difference of means = 55.42, SE = 28.2, t _9.5 = 1.96, p = 0.040) between FM (n = 6) and FR (n = 8) OVX lambs. (D) Mean ± SEM integrated density of mRNA for Kiss1 within KNDy neurons was significantly lower (difference of means = 2,807,598, SE = 915,588, t _10.7 = 3.07, p = 0.006) in FR OVX lambs compared to FM OVX lambs. Scale bars = 50 μm. Inset scale bars = 10 μm. Statistical significance (*p <  0.05) was determined using a one‐tailed, unpaired Students t test