Temporal changes in plasma thyroid hormone,growth hormone and free fatty acid concentrations,and hepatic 5′-monodeiodinase activity,lipid and protein content during chronic fasting and re-feeding in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Temporal changes in growth, plasma thyroid hormone, cortisol, growth hormone (GH) and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations, hepatic T₃ content and hepatic 5-monodeiodinase activity were measured in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) subjected to a sustained fast for up to eight weeks, and during a four-week re-feeding period. The purpose of the study was to examine aspects of the endocrine control of energy partitioning processes characteristic of short-term (acute; fasting) and long-term (chronic; starvation) food-deprivation states in fish, and to explore the role of the thyroid hormones, cortisol and GH in the energy repartitioning that takes place during an acute anabolic (re-feeding) state following chronic food deprivation.Differences in growth rate between fed and fasted groups were evident after two weeks, but significant weight loss by the fasted groups was not evident until between four and six weeks into the fast. Hepatosomatic indices (HSIs) were significantly reduced in the fasted fish within seven days, and as early as two days in one study; recovery of the HSI in fasted fish was evident within three days of re-feeding. Liver protein content (expressed as % wet weight) was consistently depressed in the fasted fish in only one of the three studies. Liver total lipid content (expressed as % wet weight) was depressed in the fasted fish within two days of food deprivation. Because of the rapid and sustained decrease in the HSI of fasted fish, the hepatic total protein and lipid reserves, when considered on a body weight basis, were markedly lowered within the first few days of the fast. Plasma GH concentrations exhibited a bi-modal pattern of change, with a transient fall in levels, followed by a sustained increase in fasted fish. The indicators of interrenal activity were suggestive of a depressed pituitary-interrenal axis in fasted animals; plasma cortisol levels were elevated to levels of fed animals within one day of re-feeding. The indicators of thyroid hormone economy (plasma thyroid hormone levels, liver triiodothyronine content, hepatic 5-monodeiodinase (MD) activity, thyroid epithelial cell height) were similarly indicative of a depressed pituitary-thyroid axis in fasted animals, with recovery to levels of the fed animals within one week. Despite the compensatory changes in accumulation of reserves (as indicated by a compensatory increase in HSI), there were no apparent compensatory changes in any of the endocrine parameters evident during the re-feeding period.     

Thyroidal compensation in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) fed canola meal

Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson) were fed either a soybean mealbased (SM) or canola meal-based (CM) diet for up to 20 weeks. Plasma thyroxine (T₄) and triiodothryonine (T₃) levels were significantly lower in the CM-fed fish sampled after 12 weeks. However, there appeared to be some compensation after 12 and 20 weeks in that the thyroid hormone levels in trout fed the CM were not significantly different from those of the SM-fed fish. Nevertheless, there was marked thyroid hyperplasia and hypertrophy in the CM-fed fish sampled at 12, 16 and 20 weeks after commencement of the experiment. Moreover, the growth rate was significantly lower in the CM-fed fish in comparison to the SM-fed fish throughout the 20 week study period.Plasma T₄ levels were similar in SM-fed fish sampled 12, 16 and 20 weeks after commencement of the experiment, but plasma T₃ levels progressively increased over this period, as did the apparent activity of the thyroid tissue based on histological criteria.Fasting for up to 8 weeks resulted in the arrested growth of the SM-fed fish, and a loss in body weight of the CM-fed animals over the 8 week period of the fast. In addition, the plasma thyroid hormone levels in the fasted fish tended to be lower than in fish fed both the SM and CM diets prior to fasting, and there was histological evidence indicating a reduced activity of the pituitary-thyroid axis. However, thyroid hyperplasia and hypertrophy were still evident in the fasted fish previously fed the CM diet indicating that the adverse affects of CM diets are not completely reversible after 8 weeks.In fish fed the CM diet for 12 weeks and then the SM diet for up to a further 8 weeks (diet C-S) there was a compensatory increase in plasma thyroid hormone levels evident within 4 weeks after the change in diet, but no apparent decrease in thyroid hyperplasia or hypertrophy. In addition, in the fish fed the C-S diet there was a marked compensatory growth rate, and an increased feed: gain ratio; body weights of this group of fish were not significantly different from those of the SM-fed animals after 20 weeks of study, indicating a considerably higher growth rate over the last 8 week period.     

Serum steroid concentrations and development of reproductive organs during puberty in male bonnethead sharks, Sphyrna tiburo

Puberty is a critical, hormone-mediated event during which an animal acquires the ability to breed and propagate. Despite the importance of this stage in animal reproduction, little is known regarding the physiological factors that regulate and/or accompany puberty in several vertebrate groups including elasmobranchs. To address the need for such information, the present study investigated morphological and hormonal changes that occur during puberty in male bonnethead sharks (Sphyrna tiburo). Serial changes in development of claspers, paired copulatory organs in male elasmobranchs, and serum steroid concentrations during puberty were evaluated in captive-held male S. tiburo. Captive-animal studies were supplemented by observations on gonadal development, gonaduct morphology, and serum steroid concentrations in feral, peripubertal male S. tiburo. Changes in size and histological architecture of testes and gonaducts of peripubertal sharks mirrored the seasonal progression of events that occur in these structures in mature males. Claspers grew in length continuously during puberty, but sharks did not reach functional maturity until a short period before mating activity commences in the mature population. Clasper growth appeared to be strictly regulated in S. tiburo, perhaps to ensure growth of these organs to sizes deemed critical for reproductive success. Serum concentrations of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, progesterone, and 17β-estradiol increased in both captive and feral sharks during pubertal development, and may be associated with development of the gonads and gonaducts. Differences in hormone profiles of captive and feral sharks were observed at certain periods during puberty, but their origin remains unclear. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Total and free thyroid hormones in plasma of tropical marine teleost fish

Plasma levels of L-thyroxine (T₄) and 3,5,3-triiodo-L-thyronine (T₃) and the percentage of plasma T₄ and T₃ present in the free (dialyzable) form (%FT₄ and %FT₃) were measured in 16 species (11 families) of tropical marine teleosts from an inshore Barbados reef. Mean plasma T₄ varied from 0.2 ng/ml to 42 ng/ml; mean plasma T₃ varied from < 0.2 ng/ml to 50 ng/ml. The highest T₄ and T₃ levels were recorded in parrot-fish and the lowest levels in filefish. The %oFT₄ and %FT₃ varied from 0.05–3.41%. Estimated levels of plasma free T₄ and free T₃ levels ranged from 0.4–466 pg/ml. The extremely wide inter- and intra-species ranges in levels of free T₄ and T₃ do not support a previous suggestion, based on temperate freshwater salmonid species, that free T₄ and T₃ levels in fish may fall within a relatively range narrow comparable to that of homeothermic vertebrates.     

干旱胁迫对福建山樱花和日本樱花幼苗内源激素的影响

以1年生福建山樱花和日本樱花实生苗为试材,设置对照(CK)、轻度干旱胁迫(LS)、中度干旱胁迫(MS)、重度干旱胁迫(HS)4种处理,探究干旱胁迫对福建山樱花和日本樱花幼苗内源激素的影响。结果表明:2个树种在LS处理下,GA3(赤霉素)和IAA(生长素)的含量均高于对照,ABA(脱落酸)的含量和对照无显著差异。在MS和HS处理下,GA3和IAA含量呈现明显降低趋势,ABA、ABA/GA3和ABA/IAA的含量呈现明显的增加趋势。随着干旱胁迫处理时间的延长,在LS处理下,GA3、IAA和ABA的含量无显著变化,而MS和HS处理中,GA3和IAA含量呈现出下降趋势,ABA含量、ABA/GA3和ABA/IAA呈增加的趋势。随着干旱胁迫程度的加深,福建山樱花ABA、GA3、IAA、ABA/GA3和ABA/IAA的含量均要低于日本樱花,这表明日本樱花比福建山樱花可能存在着更强的通过调节自身的激素水平来应对外界干旱胁迫的能力,这可能正是日本樱花比福建山樱花更加抗旱的生理机制之一。     

电热温床处理无花果硬枝扦插生根的植物激素水平分析

为探寻电热温床催根的生理和分子生物学机制,以无花果一年生枝为材料,筛选与电热温床处理促生根效果近似的吲哚丁酸(IBA)处理条件,比较插条生根过程中主要内源激素水平的变化。结果表明:500mg/L IBA浸泡插条基部与2h与28℃电热温床处理12d的促生根效果相似。插条基部组织激素水平测定显示,IBA和电热温床处理均能在处理开始后0~10d快速而显著地提高样品中吲哚丁酸(IAA)和玉米素(ZR)的浓度;与IBA处理相比,电热温床处理显著提高了早期样品中的脱落酸(ABA)浓度;不同处理和对照样品中的赤霉素(GA)含量在0~10d差别不大,后期以IBA处理的样品中的GA含量最高。研究结果显示在启动硬枝扦插生根的激素响应模式上,电热温床和IBA处理既有共同点,又存在独特性。     

鲻鱼胃肠道内分泌细胞免疫组织化学的定位

用7种哺乳类胃肠激素抗体对鲻鱼消化道内分泌细胞进行免疫组织化学定位。结果表明5-HT、SST、VIP、GAS和P物质免疫活性内分泌细胞均存在于鲻鱼胃肠粘膜中，而胰高血糖素和胰岛则显免疫阴性反应。文中还描述了鲻鱼胃肠道免疫活性内分泌细胞的形态学特点及在胃肠各部的分布密度，并对其可能的分泌方式和功能进行了讨论。     

鸡粪中雌激素的生物学测定

本试验选用性成熟前小白鼠59只,按体重随机分成四组,分别为烘干鸡粪组、鲜鸡粪组、药物处理组和空白对照组,其中烘干鸡粪组14只,其余三组均为15只,对照组和药物组喂以不含鸡粪的常规饲料,其中药物组用苯甲酸雌二醇肌注,鲜鸡粪组喂以含60％鲜鸡粪的饲料,干鸡粪组喂以含60％烘干后鸡粪的饲料试验结果表明,各组小白鼠子宫重量/体重存在极显著差异,其中空白组与各组比较差异极显著(P<0.01);干鸡粪组与鲜鸡粪饲料之间差异显著(P<0.05);干鸡粪组与药物组间差异极显著(P<0.01);鲜鸡粪饲料和药物组间差异显著(P<0.05),说明鸡粪中确实含有大量的雌激素样活性物质,在畜牧生产应用时应引起重视。     

饮高碘水对肉仔鸡生产性能及组织器官碘含量的影响

试验用艾维茵肉仔鸡１２０只，随机分为４组，分别饮用每千克含碘量为１５ｍｇ，２５ｍｇ，４５ｍｇ和０ｍｇ的饮水，饮用３７ｄ。结果表明：不同的碘水平对肉鸡生产性能、器官发育均未产生不良影响。但高碘饮水组鸡的组织碘含量均显著高于对照组鸡。