Maternal pineal melatonin in gestation and lactation physiology, and in fetal development and programming.
Gen Comp Endocrinol
; 300: 113633, 2021 01 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33031801
ABSTRACT
Pregnancy and lactation are reproductive processes that rely on physiological adaptations that should be timely and adequately triggered to guarantee both maternal and fetal health. Pineal melatonin is a hormone that presents daily and seasonal variations that synchronizes the organism's physiology to the different demands across time through its specific mechanisms and ways of action. The reproductive system is a notable target for melatonin as it actively participates on reproductive physiology and regulates the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonads axis, influencing gonadotropins and sexual hormones synthesis and release. For its antioxidant properties, melatonin is also vital for the oocytes and spermatozoa quality and viability, and for blastocyst development. Maternal pineal melatonin blood levels increase during pregnancy and triggers the maternal physiological alterations in energy metabolism both during pregnancy and lactation to cope with the energy demands of both periods and to promote adequate mammary gland development. Moreover, maternal melatonin freely crosses the placenta and is the only source of this hormone to the fetus. It importantly times the conceptus physiology and influences its development and programing of several functions that depend on neural and brain development, ultimately priming adult behavior and energy and glucose metabolism. The present review aims to explain the above listed melatonin functions, including the potential alterations observed in the progeny gestated under maternal chronodisruption and/or hypomelatoninemia.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Glándula Pineal
/
Lactancia
/
Desarrollo Fetal
/
Melatonina
Límite:
Animals
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Gen Comp Endocrinol
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Brasil