Pubertal development of male African catfish,Clarias gariepinus.
In vitro steroidogenesis by testis and interrenal tissue and plasma levels of sexual steroids |
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Authors: | J E B Cavaco J G D Lambert R W Schulz H J Th Goos |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Experimental Zoology, Research Group Comparative Endocrinology, University of Utrecht, Faculty of Biology, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | In fish, sex steroids initiate and/or accelerate the maturation of the brain-pituitary-gonad axis. In order to obtain information
on the steroid milieu during the pubertal development of male African catfish, we have monitored the conversion of 3H]-pregnenolone and 3H]-androstenedione by testis and 3H]-pregnenolone by interrenal tissue fragmentsin vitro. Pubertal development occurs between two and six months of age. Testicular development proceeds through four main stages
that are characterised histologically by the presence of spermatogonia (stage I), spermatogonia and spermatocytes (stage II),
spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids (stage III), and all germ cells including spermatozoa (stage IV). 11β-Hydroxyandrostenedione
and cortisol were the main products of testes and interrenal tissue, respectively, in all stages of the pubertal development;
a change in the steroidogenic pattern was not observed during this period. The interrenal tissue displayed no significant
conversion of 3H]-pregnenolone to 11-oxygenated androgens. Blood plasma was analyzed for the presence of five androgens; testosterone, 11β-hydroxytestosterone,
11β-hydroxyandrostenedione, androstenetrione, and 11-ketotestosterone. 11-Ketotestosterone was the quantitatively dominating
androgen in the circulation at all stages of development, which was more pronounced in stages III and IV. The obvious differences
between thein vitro andin vivo results, namely 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione being the main testicular productvs. 11-ketotestosterone dominating in the blood, may indicate that 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione is converted to 11-ketotestosterone
at extratesticular sites. |
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Keywords: | Clarias gariepinus African catfish teleost fish puberty spermatogenesis steroidogenesis testis interrenal tissue androgen blood levels |
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