hypothalamus

Schematic showing the position of the hypothalamus in sagittal, horizontal and coronal sections through the zebrafish brain. Based on the anatomical segmentation of 3 day old zebrafish larval brain by Thomas Müller, Olaf Ronneberger, Wolfgang Driev… — Schematic showing the position of the hypothalamus in sagittal, horizontal and coronal sections through the zebrafish brain.
Based on the anatomical segmentation of 3 day old zebrafish larval brain by Thomas Müller, Olaf Ronneberger, Wolfgang Driever and colleagues. For details see Ronneberger et al., Nat. Meth. 2012 and **http://vibez.informatik.uni-freiburg.de**
Abbreviations: Ce, cerebellar plate; D, dorsal telencephalon/pallium; E, epiphysis; EmT, eminentia thalami; Hb, habenula; Hyp, hypothalamus; MO, medulla oblongata; OB, olfactory bulb; OT, optic tectum; PG, preglomerular complex; PO, preoptic area;PrT, pretectum; PTd, posterior tuberculum dorsal part; PTh, prethalamus; PTv posterior tuberculum ventral part; Teg, tegmentum; Th, thalamus; TS, torus semicircularis; V, ventral telencephalon/subpallium; Va, valvula cerebelli.

Description

The hypothalamus is the largest and most ventral division of the diencephalon. It's name means "below the thalamus" however this anatomical position applies only to the rostral regions as the more caudal areas are actually below the mesencephalic tegmentum. The hypothalamus arises near the end of the segmentation period (Kimmel et al, 2005) and it gives rise the tuberal nuclei, the inferior hypothalamic lobes and the neurohypophysis of the adult (Meek and Nieuwenhuys, 1998). The hypothalamus is the master regulator of endocrine and autonomic function within the brain (Mathieu et al, 2002).

Subdivisions of the hypothalamus in larval zebrafish. Schematics based on the 3D anatomical segmentation by the ZBB.