Third Ventricular Injection of CCL2 in Rat Embryo Stimulates CCL2/CCR2 Neuroimmune System in Neuroepithelial Radial Glia Progenitor Cells: Relation to Sexually Dimorphic, Stimulatory Effects on Peptide Neurons in Lateral Hypothalamus

•Embryonic intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of CCL2 has effects like maternal CCL2.•ICV CCL2 stimulates CCL2 in hypothalamic neuroepithelial radial glia progenitor cells.•ICV CCL2 increases CCL2 and MCH neurons in lateral hypothalamus that colocalize CCL2.•These effects are sexually dimorphic with stronger effects in females than males.•Embryonic CCL2/CCR2 system may be involved in mediating effects of maternal ethanol.