Research interests
Founding director of the CNE Prof Allan Herbison's research focused 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.
Allan was particularly interested in defining how:
- GnRH neurons generate pulsatile LH secretion
- Gonadal steroid hormones regulate the activity of GnRH neurons
- GnRH neurons become activated at puberty
Allan has now taken up a position at the University of Cambridge, UK.
Publications
Clarkson, J., Han, S. Y., Piet, R., McLennan, T., Kane, G. M., Ng, J., Porteous, R. W., Kim, J. S., … Iremonger, K. J., & Herbison, A. E. (2017). Definition of the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator in mice. PNAS, 114(47), E10216-E10223. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1713897114
Herbison, A. E. (2016). Control of puberty onset and fertility by gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 12, 452-466. doi: 10.1038/nrendo.2016.70
Han, S. Y., McLennan, T., Czieselsky, K., & Herbison, A. E. (2015). Selective optogenetic activation of arcuate kisspeptin neurons generates pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion. PNAS, 112(42), 13109-13114. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1512243112
Campos, P., & Herbison, A. E. (2014). Optogenetic activation of GnRH neurons reveals minimal requirements for pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion. PNAS, 111(51), 18387-18392. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1415226112
Kirilov, M., Clarkson, J., Liu, X., Roa, J., Campos, P., Porteous, R., … Herbison, A. E. (2013). Dependence of fertility on kisspeptin—Gpr54 signalling at the GnRH neuron. Nature Communications, 4, 2492. doi: 10.1038/ncomms3492
Edited Book - Research
Herbison, A. E., & Plant, T. M. (Eds.). (2018). The GnRH neuron and its control. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell, 517p. doi: 10.1002/9781119233275
Chapter in Book - Research
Piet, R., & Herbison, A. E. (2018). Electrophysiology of rodent GnRH neurons. In A. E. Herbison & T. M. Plant (Eds.), The GnRHS neuron and its control. (pp. 177-202). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781119233275
Plant, T. M., & Herbison, A. E. (2018). The framework upon which current research on the GnRH neuron and its control is built. In A. E. Herbison & T. M. Plant (Eds.), The GnRHS neuron and its control. (pp. 3-11). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781119233275
Iremonger, K. J., & Herbison, A. E. (2015). Elucidating the structure and function of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) neuron dendrites. In W. E. Armstrong & J. G. Tasker (Eds.), Neurophysiology of neuroendocrine neurons. (pp. 273-300). Chichester, UK: Wiley Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781118606803.ch12
Herbison, A. E. (2015). Physiology of the adult gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuronal network. In T. M. Plant & A. J. Zeleznik (Eds.), Knobil and Neill's Physiology of reproduction (Vol. 1). (4th ed.) (pp. 399-467). Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-397175-3.00011-9
Wintermantel, T. M., Elzer, J., Herbison, A. E., Fritzemeier, K.-H., & Schütz, G. (2007). Genetic dissection of estrogen receptor signaling in vivo. In K. S. Korach & T. Wintermantel (Eds.), Tissue-specific estrogen action: Novel mechanisms, novel ligands, novel therapies. (pp. 25-44). Berlin, Germany: Springer.
Herbison, A. E. (2006). Physiology of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuronal network. In E. Knobil & J. D. Neill (Eds.), Knobil and Neill's physiology of reproduction. (3rd ed.) (pp. 1415-1482). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Herbison, A. E. (2003). Gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuron. In H. L. Henry & A. W. Norman (Eds.), Encyclopedia of hormones. (pp. 171-177). San Diego: Academic Press.
Herbison, A. E. (2001). GnRH transgenic models. In M. G. Castro (Ed.), Transgenic models in endocrinology. (pp. 45-58). Boston: Kluwer.
Buckingham, J., Cowell, A. M., Gillies, G. E., Herbison, A. E., & Steele, J. H. (1997). The neuroendocrine system: Anatomy, physiology and responses to stress. In J. C. Buckingham, G. E. Gillies & A. M. Cowell (Eds.), Stress, stress hormones and the immune system. (pp. 9-48). Chichester: Wiley.
Journal - Research Article
Liu, X., Yeo, S.-H., McQuillan, H. J., Herde, M. K., Hessler, S., Cheong, I., Porteous, R., & Herbison, A. E. (2021). Highly redundant neuropeptide volume co-transmission underlying episodic activation of the GnRH neuron dendron. eLIFE, e62455. Advance online publication. doi: 10.7554/eLife.62455
Hessler, S., Liu, X., & Herbison, A. E. (2020). Direct inhibition of arcuate kisspeptin neurones by neuropeptide Y in the male and female mouse. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 32(5), e12849. doi: 10.1111/jne.12849
Yip, S. H., Campos, P., Liu, X., Porteous, R., & Herbison, A. E. (2020). Innervation of GnRH neuron distal projections and activation by kisspeptin in a new GnRH-Cre rat model. Endocrinology, bqaa186. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa186
Yip, S. H., Liu, X., Hessler, S., Cheong, I., Porteous, R., & Herbison, A. E. (2020). Indirect suppression of pulsatile LH secretion by CRH neurons in the female mouse. Endocrinology, bqaa237. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa237
Herbison, A. E. (2020). A simple model of estrous cycle negative and positive feedback regulation of GnRH secretion. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 57, 100837. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100837
Wang, L., Guo, W., Shen, X., Yeo, S., Long, H., Wang, Z., … Herbison, A. E., & Kuang, Y. (2020). Different dendritic domains of the GnRH neuron underlie the pulse and surge modes of GnRH secretion in female mice. eLIFE, 9, e53945. doi: 10.7554/eLife.53945
Han, S. Y., Cheong, I., McLennan, T., & Herbison, A. E. (2020). Neural determinants of pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion in male mice. Endocrinology, 161(2), 1-10. doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqz045
Coutinho, E. A., Prescott, M., Hessler, S., Marshall, C. J., Herbison, A. E., & Campbell, R. E. (2020). Activation of a classic hunger circuit slows luteinizing hormone pulsatility. Neuroendocrinology, 110(7-8), 671-687. doi: 10.1159/000504225
Silva, M. S. B., Desroziers, E., Hessler, S., Prescott, M., Coyle, C., Herbison, A. E., & Campbell, R. E. (2019). Activation of arcuate nucleus GABA neurons promotes luteinizing hormone secretion and reproductive dysfunction: Implications for polycystic ovary syndrome. EBioMedicine, 44, 582-596. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.05.065
Porteous, R., & Herbison, A. E. (2019). Genetic deletion of Esr1 in the mouse preoptic area disrupts the LH surge and estrous cyclicity. Endocrinology, 160(8), 1821-1829. doi: 10.1210/en.2019-00284
McQuillan, H. J., Han, S. Y., Cheong, I., & Herbison, A. E. (2019). GnRH pulse generator activity across the estrous cycle of female mice. Endocrinology, 160(6), 1480-1491. doi: 10.1210/en.2019-00193
Han, S. Y., Kane, G., Cheong, I., & Herbison, A. E. (2019). Characterization of GnRH pulse generator activity in male mice using GCaMP fiber photometry. Endocrinology, 160(3), 557-567. doi: 10.1210/en.2018-01047
Delmas, S., Porteous, R., Bergin, D. H., & Herbison, A. E. (2018). Altered aspects of anxiety-related behavior in kisspeptin receptor-deleted male mice. Scientific Reports, 8, 2794. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-21042-4
Schafer, D., Kane, G., Colledge, W. H., Piet, R., & Herbison, A. E. (2018). Sex- and sub region-dependent modulation of arcuate kisspeptin neurons by vasopressin and vasoactive intestinal peptide. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 30, e12660. doi: 10.1111/jne.12660
Hellier, V., Brock, O., Candlish, M., Desroziers, E., Aoki, M., Mayer, C., Piet, R., Herbison, A., … Bakker, J. (2018). Female sexual behavior in mice is controlled by kisspeptin neurons. Nature Communications, 9, 400. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-02797-2