To study the sexual differentiation of brain and analyze the neural circuits underlying reproduction, including behavior, researchers at GIGA use different transgenic mouse models such as:

• Aromatase knock-out (ArKO) mouse model to study the role of oestradiol in the development of female brain
• Kiss-KO mice: targeted mutation in the Kiss1 gene to study the role of kisspeptin in reproductive physiology and behavior
• nNOS-KO mice: targeted mutation in the gene encoding the neuronal form of the nitric oxide synthase enzyme, which is important for the production of the gazeous neurotransmitter nitric oxide (NO). This model is also used to study the role of NO in reproductive physiology and behavior
• Kiss-Cre mice and GnRH-Cre mice: to specifically delete (by viral ablation for example) or stimulate by optogenetics kisspeptin or GnRH neurons and then determine their effects on reproductive physiology and behavior

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