Gonadotropes in the anterior pituitary are the link between brain and gonads and control mammalian reproduction. Gonadotrope function is regulated by Ca²⁺ signals.

We want to analyze the dynamics of this regulation in intact tissue to understand how the gonadotrope cell network adapts hormone-release to different reproductive stages.

Towards this goal we have generated genetically modified mice in which gonadotropes specifically express different fluorescent markers and optogenetic tools.

This allows us to study the propagation of Ca²⁺ signals in gonadotropes in situ.