Chromatophoroma in a crevice kelpfish (Gibbonsia montereyensis)

A captive adult crevice kelpfish, Gibbonsia montereyensis, developed a cutaneous mass, approximately 9 × 7 mm on the right side of the head in an area of nonscaled skin. Following surgical debulking, examination of both impression smears and histologic sections of the tumor revealed a predominant population of round to spindloid to polygonal cells with a moderate amount of lightly basophilic cytoplasm. The cytoplasm was filled with round, variably-sized reddish-brown granules that often obscured the nucleus. Nuclei were round to ovoid with coarsely granular chromatin. There was minimal anisocytosis and anisokaryosis. The cytoplasmic granules in histologic sections were weakly positive by the Fontana-Masson method, and staining was eliminated with melanin bleach. Immunohistochemical staining was strongly positive with a murine monoclonal antibody for melan A. As the specificity of melan A for melanophores is not clearly defined in nonmammalian species, the tumor was examined by transmission electron microscopy. Melanophores were not detected. Instead, neoplastic cells were filled with numerous intracytoplasmic organelles with triple-limiting membranes composed of concentric lamellae; these structures were most compatible with pterinosomes, which are the pigment-containing organelles of cells called xanthophores and erythrophores. As both of these organelles are ultrastructurally indistinguishable and as kelpfish skin is known to contain both xanthophores and erythrophores, a diagnosis of a mixed pigment cell tumor or chromatophoroma was made. As the tumor was grossly reddish-brown, the possibility of a neoplastic population of only erythrophores could not be excluded. Pigment cell tumors, arising from cells of the embryonic neural crest, are common in reptiles and bony fish.     

半滑舌鳎(Cynoglossus semilaevis)体表色素细胞观察及POMC表达特性分析

为认识养殖半滑舌鳎无眼侧黑化的细胞学特性,利用显微观察方法研究了其皮肤黑色素细胞、黄色素细胞和虹彩细胞的形态特征,比较了3种色素细胞在有眼侧皮肤、无眼侧正常和黑化皮肤中的数量分布特征.为进一步揭示无眼侧黑化的分子机制,克隆了半滑舌鳎POMC基因的cDNA序列.结果显示,黑色素细胞较大,含黑色和棕色的色素颗粒,有树突状分枝不明显和延伸成放射状两种形态;黄色素细胞较小,含黄色素颗粒;虹彩细胞最小,含鸟粪素颗粒.半滑舌鳎 POMC基因的cDNA序列长910 bp,包括一个114 bp的5'非翻译区和一个154 bp的3'非翻译区,开放阅读框长度为642 bp,共编码213个氨基酸,包含ACTH、α-MSH、β-MSH、γ-LPH、β-内啡肽5个多肽序列,但缺失γ-MSH和大部分连接区.半滑舌鳎POMC基因的氨基酸序列与其他鱼类的同源性为30%-64%.定量PCR分析显示,POMC mRNA主要在垂体中表达,其次是脑、性腺和无眼侧黑化皮肤.正常与黑化皮肤中的差异表达结果显示,无眼侧黑化皮肤中POMC mRNA表达量最高,并与有眼侧皮肤和无眼侧正常皮肤中的POMC mRNA表达量差异显著,揭示了POMC的表达与无眼侧黑化性状密切相关.     

半滑舌鳎(Cynoglossus semilaevis)体表色素细胞观察及POMC表达特性分析

为认识养殖半滑舌鳎无眼侧黑化的细胞学特性,利用显微观察方法研究了其皮肤黑色素细胞、黄色素细胞和虹彩细胞的形态特征,比较了3种色素细胞在有眼侧皮肤、无眼侧正常和黑化皮肤中的数量分布特征。为进一步揭示无眼侧黑化的分子机制,克隆了半滑舌鳎POMC基因的cDNA序列。结果显示,黑色素细胞较大,含黑色和棕色的色素颗粒,有树突状分枝不明显和延伸成放射状两种形态;黄色素细胞较小,含黄色素颗粒;虹彩细胞最小,含鸟粪素颗粒。半滑舌鳎POMC基因的cDNA序列长910 bp,包括一个114 bp的5?非翻译区和一个154 bp的3?非翻译区,开放阅读框长度为642 bp,共编码213个氨基酸,包含ACTH、α-MSH、β-MSH、γ-LPH、β-内啡肽5个多肽序列,但缺失γ-MSH和大部分连接区。半滑舌鳎POMC基因的氨基酸序列与其他鱼类的同源性为30%?64%。定量PCR分析显示,POMC mRNA主要在垂体中表达,其次是脑、性腺和无眼侧黑化皮肤。正常与黑化皮肤中的差异表达结果显示,无眼侧黑化皮肤中POMC mRNA表达量最高,并与有眼侧皮肤和无眼侧正常皮肤中的POMC mRNA表达量差异显著,揭示了POMC的表达与无眼侧黑化性状密切相关。     

Morphological skin colour changes in teleosts

Morphological skin colour change in fish is often referred to in the sole context of background adaptation. It is becoming increasingly apparent that it is a broad phenomenon elicited by a variety of factors. To date, no review has attempted to integrate the different types of morphological colour changes occurring in teleosts, their ecological origins and the regulatory mechanisms involved, often restricting the view on the subject. First, the origin of skin colour is addressed in teleosts including chromatophore type and distribution, pigment biosynthetic pathways and their interactions to one‐another. Second, the different types of morphological colour changes occurring in teleosts are categorized and a key distinction is made between proximate and ultimate morphological colour changes. These are defined respectively as the change of phenotype during an established life‐stage in response to environmental interactions and during the transition between two developmental‐stages phenotypically pre‐adapted to their ancestral ecosystems. Nutrition and UV‐light are primary factors of proximate morphological colour changes beyond the control of the organism. By contrast, background light conditions and social interactions are secondary proximate factors acting through the control of the organism. Highly diversified among teleosts, ultimate morphological skin colour changes are presented in term of alterations in skin structure and pigment deposition during metamorphosis in different species. Finally, the physiological and endocrine mechanisms regulating both proximate and ultimate morphological colour changes are reviewed.