2005 Ohio Student Research Forum

Abstract

The Localization of Estrogen Receptor Beta Messenger (ERb) RNA in The Adult Female Zebra Finch
Siera Kirkland
Kent State University, Department of Biological Sciences
Mentor: Dr. Sean Veney

The interconnected anterior forebrain nuclei controlling song in zebra finches are sexually dimorphic. These structures are substantially larger and more robust in males, who sing, compared to females that normally do not. The mechanisms that contribute to the adult maintenance of this system are not known for either sex, but possibly involve estrogens, which have strong masculinizing effects on these circuits in females early in development. Despite the potent effects of estrogens however, previous studies detected only minimal expression of ERa in song control regions and it is not clear what, if any, contribution ER_ß normally makes. As a first step towards more completely understanding the neural sites of estrogen action on the adult brain, in situ hybridization, using a zebra finch specific ³³P labeled riboprobe, was used to localize the expression of ER_ß mRNA in song control nuclei of females. No significant silver grain labeling above background was detected in any song control areas. These data are consistent with the idea that ER_ß has only minimal effects on the morphology of the adult song system and that any responses to estrogens are due to receptor(s) other than ER_ß.