池塘养殖三疣梭子蟹雄体生长和性腺发育规律

池塘养殖是三疣梭子蟹(Portunus trituberculatus)的主要养殖方式,但关于池塘养殖三疣梭子蟹雄体的生长和性腺发育规律尚不清楚。本研究通过定点连续采样,首先系统研究池塘养殖过程中三疣梭子蟹雄体的生长和成熟雄体生殖系统的外观及组成的变化,其次研究池塘养殖三疣梭子蟹雄体性腺发育过程中性腺各部分组织学特征及其指数的变化,以及不同月份雄体性腺发育的情况和比例。结果表明:(1)三疣梭子蟹雄体的体重和壳宽增长率及特定增长率均在8月份最高,且体重与壳宽呈显著正相关关系。(2)三疣梭子蟹成熟雄体的生殖系统由体外(阴茎、交接器)和体内(精巢、输精管)两部分构成。(3)根据精巢和输精管的外观、组织学特征及其指数的变化,可将三疣梭子蟹雄体性腺发育分为3期。精子发生期,即精巢内主要细胞类型是精原细胞和初级精母细胞,精巢指数为0.07%～0.16%,此时输精管呈透明状,肉眼很难发现;精荚形成期,精巢内主要细胞类型为次级精母细胞和精子细胞,精巢指数为0.10%～0.51%,输精管内有大量精荚和分泌物,输精管指数为0.01%～0.41%;成熟期,精巢内主要细胞类型是精子细胞和成熟精子,精巢指数为0.10%～0.41%,输精管进一步膨大,输精管指数为0.20%～0.65%。(4)在雄体性腺发育期间,性腺指数和输精管指数呈显著上升趋势,而精巢指数呈现先上升后下降的趋势,且统计分析发现性腺指数与肝胰腺指数无明显的相关性。(5)池塘养殖雄体性腺发育不同步,7月份主要处于精子发生期,8月底,有76%的雄体性腺发育达到精荚形成期,至9月底,达到成熟期雄体的比例为47%,此后雄体性腺发育趋于成熟,10月中下旬至12月份池塘养殖雄体均主要处于成熟期。     

Mediation by gonadal steroids of plasma beta-endorphin and LH in castrated female and male rats

Immunoreactive beta-endorphin (IR-BE) was significantly decreased and luteinizing hormone (LH) significantly increased in female rats castrated for four weeks. Forty eight hours after a single injection of estradiol benzoate (EB), IR-BE levels increased, and LH levels were reduced. On the afternoon following the administration of a second injection of EB given six hours earlier, IR-BE levels were reduced below control values, whereas LH levels were significantly elevated. There was no change in IR-BE levels during the remainder of that afternoon whereas LH levels decreased over time. Similar to female rats, IR-BE was diminished and LH increased in castrated male rats. IR-BE was increased significantly above those values observed in intact animals 24 hr after a single injection of TP and returned to control levels by 48 hr after administration of TP. Injection of TP reduced LH to levels observed prior to castration. These findings suggest that gonadal steroids exert a feedback on the release of IR-BE from the pituitary of female and male rats opposite to their feedback effect on the release of pituitary gonadotropins.     

南方鲇的繁殖生物学研究：性腺发育及周年变化

依形态学特征将南方鲇性腺的发育分为６个时期,据组织学特点将雌雄性细胞的变化各分为６个时相,幼鱼的精原细胞经历时间比卵原细胞长;发育的早期和中期,精母细胞的发育速度不同步,但到晚期则趋于同步化,３时相卵母细胞仍有卵黄核,大,小核仁数随卵母细胞的发育而变化,精孔细胞和卵胶膜源于滤泡细胞,雌雄鱼成熟年龄均为３龄,繁殖期３－５月,一次产卵类型,繁殖时不能将卵完全产出。     

Ecdysterone induced sexual reproduction in Opalina sudafricana parasitic in Bufo regularis

Ecdysterone induced sexual reproduction in Opalina sudafricana parasitic in Bufo regularis. International Journal for Parasitology 3: 863–868. Ecdysterone injections (0·5 mg/ml) induced sexual reproduction in Opalina sudafricana parasitic in male or female Bufo regularis after 12 days. Hypophysectomy or gonadectomy did not prevent the hormone from producing its effect on the parasites. Ecdysterone did not induce sexual reproduction in the parasites in vitro. Urine of toads injected with ecdysterone induced the opalinids to encyst in vitro.     

Reproduction and development of the weakly electric fish,Pollimyrus isidori (Mormyridae,Teleostei) in captivity

Synopsis No clear sexual dimorphism occurs in Pollimyrus isidori. Females usually grew slightly larger than males. The anal-fin reflex, however, makes it easy to discriminate between males and females. Spawning took place during the first six hours of the dark phase, in the territory of the male. During each spawning act 2–4 eggs were laid. The male put the eggs into a well-hidden nest previously constructed from plant material. The eggs, free embryos, and larvae of several spawnings were guarded by the male for several weeks. The females laid on average 120 eggs per fractional spawning. The eggs were 2 mm in diameter, not adhesive and very yolky. There was a relationship between pH and viability (% embryos hatched). Hatching occurred on the third day after spawning. The respiratory network of segmental origin in the median fin fold was well developed in the free embryos. Transition to exogenous feeding occurred on day 14. The larval period ended when the fish were 15 mm long and 40–50 days old. First gonadal recrudescence occurred at a total length of 6 cm (about 200 days old). The environmental factors decreasing conductivity and pH, increasing water level, and imitation of rain led to gonadal recrudescence, but pH did not act as a cue. Recrudescence was triggered by a decrease of conductivity, but absolute values or ionic composition of the water were not important. Maturation was completed after about fifty days. Mature and spawning fish no longer required any variation of these environmental factors to maintain mature gonads. A steady and considerable increase in conductivity led to gonadal regression. The fish did not show postbreeding refractoriness.     

A review of sexual initiating behavior by male and female cynomolgus monkeys and some species comparisons

The sexual initiating behavior of male and female cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) observed during standard laboratory tests is reviewed and compared with that of rhesus monkeys (M. mulatta) observed under identical conditions. Species differences in sexual behavior are related here to differences in habitat, sexual dimorphism, and the dominance gradient between the sexes. Compared with rhesus monkeys, cynomolgus monkeys appear to be more arboreal, less sexually dimorphic, and have a smaller dominance gradient between the sexes. They exhibit a facultative single-mount copulatory pattern rather than the serial mount pattern of the rhesus monkey. Female cynomolgus monkeys are less dominated than rhesus females by their male partners. Direct aggression between mates is more frequent and redirected aggression occurs less often than in rhesus monkeys. These behavioral differences affect the interpretation of changes in initiation rates that occur (1) during the menstrual cycle, (2) when females are ovariectomized and given hormone replacement treatments, and (3) when males are castrated and treated with androgens. We conclude that estradiol in the female and testosterone in the male increase the sexual motivation of both the treated and the untreated partner. Valid interpretations of changes in initiation rates depend on accurate and exclusive definitions of behavior and on a consideration of the behavioral context in which they are made.     

A carrier-free cell superfusion system for the study of androgen formation from precursor steroids by isolated rat testis Leydig cells under steady-state conditions

A cell superfusion system is presented in which cells can be kept in suspension if there is an equilibrium between cell sedimentation velocity and superfusion medium flow velocity. Since the cross-section area of the central core increases gradually, theoretical considerations and experimental results demonstrate that single isolated cells as well as small cell aggregates are not able to leave the superfusion chamber. The whole apparatus is constructed from glass to avoid adsorption of steroids. As an application of the system, androgen formation from progestin precursors by isolated rat testis Leydig cells is shown. Under steady-state conditions, constant concentrations of substrates, intermediates, and products are measured in the collected effluent. In contrast to conventional cell incubation, constant testosterone formation rates and linearly increasing cumulative testosterone production are achieved.     

日本鳗鲡雌鳗卵巢发育期间肌肉脂肪酸的组成及消耗

研究采用3种不同的处理方式(I&GD、I&nGD和A&nGD)对雌鳗处理后,进行了生物学相关参数、肌肉脂肪酸组成和含量变化测定分析.研究结果表明,日本鳗鲡在性腺发育期间,体重一直呈一个下降的趋势,直到产卵前,才显著高于野生海鳗.该现象被称为水合反应.实验结束时,3个实验组的脂肪总量均有不同程度的下降,其中,I&GD组下降最多,占总脂肪的66.55%;其次是A&nGD组,占总脂肪的43.76%;下降最少的是I&nGD组,占总脂肪的34.68%.研究对日本鳗鲡的肌肉共测出了17种脂肪酸,SFA 7种、MUFA 2种、PUFA 8种.其中,MUFA虽然只有2种,但在脂肪酸总量中占的百分比却较高达38.02%,而且它们的消耗与性腺发育和基础代谢有关,与雌鳗的游泳耗能无关.在8种PUFA中,AA的变化很特殊.实验期间,它在日本鳗鲡肌肉内是一个积累和消耗的动态过程.而且,积累程度与雌鳗的游动有关,游动越多,积累越多.EPA虽然能被检出,但量很低,而且各组间的变化无明显规律.DHA在日本鳗鲡肌肉中的含量达到123.91 mg/g干肌肉,占总脂肪的32.52%.卵巢发育所消耗的量也很多,I&GD组在卵巢发育结束后,下降到10.59 mg/g十肌肉.相关性分析发现.虽然总脂肪酸、PUFA、DHA和EPA与GSI间均存在一定程度的负相关性,但关系最密切的是DHA,其r=-0.952(P<0.01,n=5),关系最小的是EPA,其r=-0.882(P<0.05,n=5).因此分析认为DHA是日本鳗鲡性腺发育所需的最主要的一种脂肪酸.对能量分布进行综合分析后认为,日本鳗鲡在人工诱导性腺发育期间,基础代谢所需的脂肪量(LBM)占总脂肪量的34.68%,性腺发育所需脂肪量(LGD)占总脂肪量的32.49%,运动耗能所需脂肪量(LM)占总脂肪量的9.79%.因此认为,日本鳗鲡在不摄食的情况下,肌肉中的脂肪不仅能提供性腺发育所需的营养物质,而且还能满足洄游2000海里到达产卵场所需的能量.     

Social and hormonal mechanisms underlying male reproductive strategies in black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra)

We investigated the social and hormonal mechanisms underlying male reproductive strategies in two multimale-multifemale groups of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) during a 14-month study in Palenque National Park, Mexico. Fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) and androgen (fA) levels were analyzed for 343 fecal samples collected from 14 males during their presence in the study groups. Neither immigrating males nor resident males that remained in the group had elevated fGC and fA levels during 11 observed male migration events, suggesting that competition over group membership was not associated with variation in the fecal hormonal levels of males. Instead, fGC and fA levels were significantly higher in males who maintained a central position in the group and had almost exclusive access to fertile females than in other resident males. These “central” males were responsible for maintaining close spatial associations and cultivating strong affiliative relationships with cycling, sexually active females but not with noncycling, sexually inactive females. “Noncentral” males did not form strong social relationships with either cycling or noncycling females and had no or very few mating opportunities. Our findings suggest that male black howler monkeys compete nonaggressively by fostering relationships with cycling females and that the elevated fGC levels of central males may be indicative of the social challenges involved in their indirect competition.     

Estrogen and progesterone dose-dependently reduce disruptive effects of restraint on lordosis behavior

Ovariectomized rats were hormonally primed with various doses of estradiol benzoate (EB; 0.5-10 microg) in combination with various doses of progesterone (2.5-500 microg) to induce sexual receptivity. Females were then subjected to 5 min restraint and the effect on lordosis behavior was monitored for the next 30 min. Such mild stress has been previously shown to transiently reduce lordosis behavior of ovariectomized females hormonally primed only with 10 microg EB. In the current study, doses of progesterone of 25 microg or more in combination with 10 microg EB reduced the effects of restraint. Also priming doses of EB from 4.0 to 10 microg in combination with 250 microg progesterone prevented the lordosis-inhibiting effects of restraint. These findings reinforce prior observations of the dose-dependency of both estrogen and progesterone in the facilitation of lordosis behavior and introduce the female's lordosis response to mild restraint as a potentially useful index of the female's response to stress.