Tanycytes are glial cells that line the third ventricle in the mediobasal hypothalamus and extend long processes to blood vessels in the parenchyma. Being in contact with cerebrospinal fluid and blood, tanycytes are ideally positioned to transmit information between periphery and CNS. In support of this concept, previous work has shown that tanycytes are able to control the neuroendocrine output of the hypothalamus and to transport key metabolic signals from the periphery into the hypothalamus. However, recent evidence has emphasized that tanycytes are heterogeneous with respect to gene expression and their connectivity with hypothalamic nuclei suggesting that the functional repertoire of these peculiar cells might be even larger. This symposium will explore the physiology of tanycytes as master regulators of the hypothalamus, with special attention to their emerging role in the control of body weight.

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