ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3436-5732

Date of Award

Summer 2025

Language

English

Embargo Period

8-1-2025

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

College/School/Department

Department of Biological Sciences

Program

Biology

First Advisor

Paolo Forni

Committee Members

Paolo Forni, Melinda Larsen, ChangHwan Lee

Keywords

Terminal Nerve, Olfactory Migratory Mass, GnRH system, Kallmann Syndrome, Neurodevelopmental biology

Subject Categories

Biology | Developmental Biology | Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience | Other Neuroscience and Neurobiology

Abstract

The olfactory migratory mass plays an essential role in the development of the olfactory bulb by facilitating the migration of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons from the olfactory placode to the pre-optic hypothalamic area in the brain. In mammals, the migration of GnRH neurons is critical for establishing the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG axis), which regulates reproductive function through the production and secretion of gonadotropins. Luteinizing hormone (LH) and Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) instruct the gonads to function appropriately, ensuring sexual maturation and fertility. Disruptions in this migratory pathway have been linked with Kallmann syndrome, a condition characterized by low levels of GnRH, resulting in decreased gonadotropin secretion and physical manifestations such as delayed or absent puberty. By elucidating the mechanisms and ontogeny of the migratory mass and its role in guiding GnRH-1 neurons on their specific trajectory, it can gain valuable insight into the connection between olfactory system development and reproductive health.

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Additional Files
20AUG2025 Masters Thesis Final Draft.pdf (2154 kB)
Revised Thesis
Appendix.docx - Google Docs.pdf (3929 kB)
Supplemental Documents- Appendix
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