Research efforts in the Micevych laboratory involve understanding the cellular and molecular events underlying estrogen action on neurons and glial cells.
Research
Neuroendocrinology and Estrogen Positive Feedback
A classical question in reproductive neuroendocrinology is, “What is the mechanism of estrogen positive feedback that stimulates the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge?” This is a critical question in the field, since the LH surge triggers two central events in reproduction: ovulation and formation of the corpus luteum (which produces progesterone in the
Estradiol Membrane Signaling
The GPCR/MOR internalization assay has allowed us to dissect the signaling pathways activated by estradiol. For example, in the arcuate nucleus, estradiol acts on a membrane estrogen receptor-α (ERα) to transactivate a metabotropic glutamate receptor, which phosphorylates a protein kinase-θ dependent signaling cascade responsible for lordosis circuit
Estradiol-Mediated ER-alpha Trafficking at the Membrane
Schematic diagram illustrating estradiol-mediated ERα trafficking at the membrane. ERα-mGluR1a (blue-orange) complexes are inserted into the membrane of an exocytotic...
