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Estrogen synthesis in the hippocampus

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Abstract

Estradiol plays essential roles in the modulation of synaptic plasticity and neuroprotection in males as well as in females, as has been shown particularly in the hippocampus. Although it has long been known that aromatase, the final enzyme in estrogen synthesis, is expressed in the hippocampus, a new paradigm emerged when it was shown that estradiol is actually synthesized de novo in this part of the brain. Increasing evidence indicates that hippocampus-derived estradiol plays a role in synaptic plasticity and neuroptrotection, rather than estradiol originating from the gonads. In recent years, a number of in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that hippocampus-derived estradiol substantially contributes to hippocampal function, in particular to structural synaptic plasticity.

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Acknowledgement

This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Ru 436/4-1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Lars Fester & Gabriele M. Rune

  2. Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas, 5323 Harry Hines, Dallas, TX, USA

    Janine Prange-Kiel

  3. Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, University of Goettingen, Robert-Kochstr. 40, Goettingen, Germany

    Hubertus Jarry

  4. Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, Institut für Neuroanatomie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Gabriele M. Rune

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  1. Lars Fester
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Correspondence to Gabriele M. Rune.

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Fester, L., Prange-Kiel, J., Jarry, H. et al. Estrogen synthesis in the hippocampus. Cell Tissue Res 345, 285–294 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-011-1221-7

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