Speaker: Mary Lou Zeeman
Title: How Does Estradiol Initiate the LH Surge? Harnessing Math to Dive Into the Mystery
Affiliation: University of Texas, San Antonio
Date: Friday, April 21, 2006.
Place and Time: Room 101 - Love Building, 3:35-4:30 pm.
Refreshments: Room 204 - Love Building, 3:00 pm.

Abstract. In vertebrates, ovulation is triggered by a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary. The precise mechanism by which rising estradiol (E2) from the ovaries initiates the LH surge in the human menstrual cycle remains a mystery. The mystery is due in part to the bimodal nature of estradiol feedback action on LH secretion, and in part to disagreement over the site of the feedback action. We will describe an ODE model in which the mysterious bimodality of estradiol action arises from modulation of the electrical connectivity of a network of folliculo-stellate cells in the pituitary. The mathematical model is based as closely as possible on current experimental data, and is being used to design new experiments. No biological background will be assumed for the seminar.