Professor Allan Herbison

University Position

Professor

Department

Department of Physiology Tel 64 3 479 7312 Fax 64 3 479 7323 Email

Lab web http://www.otago.ac.nz/herbisonlab/index.html

Interests

Work in the Herbison Laboratory is focussed upon understanding the properties and functioning of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. These neurons are responsible for the initiation of puberty and the subsequent maintenance of reproductive function in adult males and females. We are particularly interested in defining:

how GnRH neurons exhibit synchronized activity
how gonadal steroid hormones regulate the activity of GnRH neurons, and
how GnRH neurons become activated at puberty

For further detail please see our lab web page.

Keywords

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone, estrogen, pulsatility, synchronization, puberty

Clinical conditions

Infertility

Technical expertise

Morphology, electrophysiology, calcium imaging, transgenic mouse models

Laboratory Staff

Research Fellows/Post-docs

Dr Rosie Brown

Dr Stephanie Constantin

Assistant Research Fellows/ Research Technicians

Rob Porteous

Sonya Mathieson

PhD Students

Simon de Croft (with Istvan Abraham)

Rachel Cheong (with Istvan Abraham)

Michel Herde (with Brian Hyland)

Shel Hwa Yeo

Representative Publications

Campbell RE, Gaidamaka G, Han SK, Herbison AE. (2009). Dendro-dendritic bundling and shared synapses between gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons. PNAS, 106, pp. 10835-10840. View abstract

Clarkson J, d'Anglemont de Tassigny X, Moreno AS, Colledge WH, Herbison AE. Kisspeptin-GPR54 signaling is essential for preovulatory gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuron activation and the luteinizing hormone surge. (2008) J Neurosci, 28 (35), pp. 8691-8697. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1775-08.2008 View abstract

Jasoni CL, Todman MG, Strumia MM, Herbison AE. Cell type-specific expression of a genetically encoded calcium indicator reveals intrinsic calcium oscillations in adult gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons. (2007)J Neurosci, 27 (4), pp. 860-867. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3579-06.2007 View abstract

Wintermantel TM, Campbell RE, Porteous R, Bock D, Gröne H-J, Todman MG, Korach KS, Greiner E, Pérez CA, Schütz, G, Herbison AE. Definition of Estrogen Receptor Pathway Critical for Estrogen Positive Feedback to Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons and Fertility. (2006) Neuron, 52 (2), pp. 271-280. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2006.07.023 View abstract

Han S-K, Gottsch ML, Lee KJ, Popa SM, Smith JT, Jakawich SK, Clifton DK, Steiner RA, Herbison AE. Activation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons by kisspeptin as a neuroendocrine switch for the onset of puberty. (2005) J Neurosci, 25 (49), pp. 11349-11356. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3328-05.2005 View abstract