Xenopus vocalizations are controlled by a sexually differentiated hindbrain central pattern generator.

Full Abstract

Male and female African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) produce rhythmic, sexually distinct vocalizations as part of courtship and mating. We found that Xenopus vocal behavior is governed by a sexually dimorphic central pattern generator (CPG) and that fictive vocalizations can be elicited from an in vitro brain preparation by application of serotonin or by electrical stimulation of a premotor nucleus. Male brains produced fictive vocal patterns representing two calls commonly produced by males in vivo (advertisement and amplectant call), as well as one call pattern (release call) that is common for juvenile males and females in vivo but rare for adult males. Female brains also produced fictive release call. The production of male calls is androgen dependent in Xenopus; to test the effects of androgens on the CPG, we examined fictive calling in the brains of testosterone-treated females. Both fictive male advertisement call and release call were produced. This suggests that all Xenopus possess a sexually undifferentiated pattern generator for release call. Androgen exposure leads to a gain-of-function, allowing the production of male-specific call types without prohibiting the production of the undifferentiated call pattern. We also demonstrate that the CPG is located in the brainstem and seems to rely on the same nuclei in both males and females. Finally, we identified endogenous serotonergic inputs to both the premotor and motor nuclei in the brainstem that may regulate vocal activity in vivo.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Rhodes, Heather J (HJ); Yu, Heather J (HJ); Yamaguchi, Ayako (A);

Affiliation: Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. hjc(-atsign-)bu.edu

Grants: NS054391 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS) ; R01 NS048834 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS) ; R01 NS048834-01A1 (Agency:NINDS NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience (J Neurosci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Feb; vol 27 (issue 6) : pp 1485-97

Dates: Created 2007/02/08; Completed 2007/03/06; Revised 2008/11/03;

PMID: 17287524, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Animals
Chorionic Gonadotropin - pharmacology
Coitus - physiology
Courtship
Electric Stimulation
Female
Laryngeal Nerves - physiology
Male
Nerve Tissue Proteins - analysis

Ovariectomy
Periodicity
Serotonin - pharmacology
Sex Characteristics
Tegmentum Mesencephali - drug effects; physiology
Testosterone - pharmacology
Tryptophan Hydroxylase - analysis
Vocalization, Animal - drug effects; physiology
Xenopus laevis - anatomy & histology; physiology

Associated Chemicals: Chorionic Gonadotropin (0) ; Nerve Tissue Proteins (0) ; Serotonin (50-67-9) ; Testosterone (58-22-0) ; Tryptophan Hydroxylase (EC 1.14.16.4)

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.