The role of adiponectin in the white throated sparrow and other avian species is poorly understood, despite all of the research regarding adiponectin in both humans and mice. The main objective of this experiment was to determine the locations of adiponectin receptors AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 in the brain of the white-throated sparrow with the intention of providing more information about adiponectin in avian species. I hypothesized that the majority of the receptors would be located in the diencephalon region of the brain, a region most notably involved with hormone secretion and regulation. We found that our results were inconclusive due to limitations with immunohistochemistry, primary antibody choice, and with the narrow-range of available antigen retrieval methods for fresh-frozen tissue. Regardless, this experiment, with proper modifications, will be invaluable in the push to understand how adiponectin regulates biological functions in the avian species.
