Development of melanin-concentrating hormone-immunoreactive elements in the brain of gilthead seabream (Sparus auratus)

The development of the hypothalamic melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) system of the teleost Sparus auratus has been studied by immunocytochemistry using an anti-salmon MCH serum. Immunoreactive perikarya and fibers are found in embryos, larvae, and juvenile specimens. In juveniles, most labeled neurons are present in the nucleus lateralis tuberis; some are dispersed in the nucleus recessus lateralis and nucleus periventricularis posterior. From the nucleus lateralis tuberis, MCH neurons project a conspicuous tract of fibers to the ventral hypothalamus; this penetrates the pituitary stalk and reaches the neurohypophysis. Most fibers end close to the cells of the pars intermedia, and some reach the adenohypophysial rostral pars distalis. Immunoreactive fibers can also be seen in extrahypophysial localizations, such as the preoptic region and the nucleus sacci vasculosi. In embryos, MCH-immunoreactive neurons first appear at 36 h post-fertilization in the ventrolateral margin of the developing hypothalamus. In larvae, at 4 days post-hatching, perikarya can be observed in the ventrolateral border of the hypothalamus and in the mid-hypothalamus, near the ventricle. At 26 days post-hatching, MCH perikarya are restricted to the nucleus lateralis tuberis. The neurohypophysis possesses MCH-immunoreactive fibers from the second day post-hatching. The results indicate that MCH plays a role in larval development with respect to skin melanophores and cells that secrete melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Received: 4 April 1995 / Accepted: 17 July 1995     

Studies on Physiological and Biochemical Properties of Female Specific Serum Protein and Its Immunocytochemical Localization in Carassius auratus cuvieri(Temminck & Schlegel)

Female-specific serum protein(FSSP)is normally present in the sera of female fish,but it is notfound in males.However,estradiol benzoate(EB)was found to induce the appearance of FSSP inmale fish and immature female fish.Massive doses of FSSP caused a rapid increase in FSSP.Ultrastructural examination of the liver indicated an extensive proliferation of the rough endoplasmicreticulum and a decrease in glycogen and lipid droplets after EB injection.A preparative PAGE for isolating highly purified FSSP from the serum of EB-treated fish,Carassiusauratus cuvieri(Temminck & Schlegel),is described.Purified FSSP obtained from EB-induced O-crucian fish has a molecular weight of 466,000±4,000(n=10),while that in mature female serumis 480,000±40,000(n=2).FSSP appears to be a dimer,with the size of the possible monomerbeing 240,000±8,000(n=6).SDS-PAGE on gradient gels indicated that sera from males given multiple(12)injections of EBcontain a main band with a molecular weight of 147,000±6,000(n=6).However,the same serumsamples provided three bands of protein on the PAGE gels.Antiserum was raised against the electrophoretically purified FSSP.The resulting antibody formeda single,continuous precipitation line with sera from EB-treated males and vitellogenic females,butnot with that from normal males.lmmunocytochemistry(PAP method)was used to locate FSSP in the liver and ovary of maturefemales and the liver of EB-treated males.Strongly positive particles were found clustered in groupsaround liver cell nuclei under light microscopy,and the yolk granules in the oocytes were also filledwith positive particles.     

Effects of Promastigote Growth Phase,Frequency of Subculture,and Host Age on Promastigote-initiated Infections with Leishmania donovani in the Golden Hamster*†

Promastigotes of Leishmania donovani, 3S strain, were cultured from homogenized infected hamster spleen incubated at 25 C in a particle-free modification of Tanabe's (1923) medium, and were subcultured in this medium from 1 to 4 times. Promastigotes were inoculated intracardially to golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Promastigotes that were subcultured frequently by transfer from log phase of growth retained their infectivity for hamsters, as assayed by numbers of amastigotes in the liver at 16 days post infection. Promastigotes that were subcultured infrequently by transfer from stationary phase declined in infectivity. The extent of the decline was roughly proportional to the length of the incubation periods of the primary culture plus 1st subculture. Promastigotes harvested from log phase of growth were significantly less infective for hamsters than those harvested from stationary phase of growth, in that numbers of amastigotes found in the liver after 16 days were lower, and times to death longer, when log phase organisms were used to infect hamsters. The age of the hamster at the time of inoculation was found to affect the apparent infectivity of promastigotes from a 1st or 2nd subculture. When weanling (age 4 weeks), juvenile (age 8 weeks) and adult (age 24 to 32 weeks) hamsters received the same numbers of promastigotes, the weanlings had the highest numbers of liver amastigotes at 16 days, and shortest times to death, of the 3 groups; juveniles were intermediate between weanlings and adults; and adults had the lowest numbers of parasites and longest times to death of the host. Differences were statistically significant only between weanlings and adults. Responses of weanling and adult hamsters to infection with promastigotes could be rendered indistinguishable if the promastigotes were inoculated on the basis of 10⁵ promastigotes per g of host body weight.     

Impact of γ-hexachlorocyclohexane exposure on plasma gonadotropin levels and in vitro stimulation of gonadal steroid production by carp hypophyseal homogenate in Carassius auratus

Male and female Carassius auratus were exposed to safe (SC; 0.01 ppm) and sublethal (SL; 0·1 ppm) concentrations of an organochlorine pesticide γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) for 4 weeks during the pre-spawning phase (June) of the annual reproductive cycle. Gonadosomatic index and gonadotropin levels were significantly lower after exposure to both γ-HCH concentrations than in control fish. After 4 weeks exposure, gonadal tissue from control, SC and SL exposed fish was incubated with carp hypophyseal homogenate (chh). The chh stimulated production of testosterone, 17,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20βP), 11-deoxycortisol, and 11-ketotesterone (11-KT) was estimated in the unconjugated (free) and conjugated (glucuronide) fractions by radioimmunoassay. In both sexes, testosterone production was greatly decreased in γ-HCH exposed fish compared to controls. 17,20βP production was low in all fish and was unaffected by γ-HCH. Free 11-deoxycortisol production by testicular fragments was higher in SL and SC compared with controls, while conjugated 11-deoxycortisol was increased only higher in the SL. In ovarian fragments from exposed fish, free 11-deoxycortisol decreased while glucuronide concentrations increased compared with controls. 11-KT production was significantly decreased in testicular fragments of exposed fish. The results indicate that γ-HCH inhibits gonadal recrudescence by decreasing both gonadotropin secretion and its potential for stimulation of steroidogenesis.     

阿特拉津对雄性鲫鱼血清雌二醇含量的影响

在实验室条件下研究了除草剂阿特拉津对鲫鱼(Carassius auratus)的急性毒性以及在不同暴露浓度和不同作用时间下低剂量阿特拉津对雄性鲫鱼血清雌二醇含量的影响.结果表明:阿特拉津对鲫鱼的24、48和96 h的LC50分别为229.33、146.17和105.94 mg·L-1,安全浓度为10.59 mg·L-1;长期(24 d)暴露时,低浓度(0.1～5.0 mg·L-1)阿特拉津对雄性鲫鱼血清雌二醇的合成具有诱导作用,且1.0 mg·L-1的诱导作用最强,与对照组相比血清雌二醇含量增加了84.1%;高浓度(10.0 mg·L-1)阿特拉津对雄性鲫鱼血清雌二醇的合成具有抑制作用;在5.0 mg·L-1浓度下,各个处理时间的血清雌二醇含量均高于对照组,其中第14天时雌二醇含量最高,比对照组增加50%(P＜0.01).血清雌二醇含量的变化直接影响雄性鲫鱼的生殖功能和性征变化,因富集阿特拉津而导致血清雌二醇浓度发生显著变化的雄性鲫鱼可能会出现一定的生殖缺陷.     

Difference in the hypoxia tolerance of the round crucian carp and largemouth bass: implications for physiological refugia in the macrophyte zone

The hypoxia tolerance of larval and juvenile round crucian carp, Carassius auratus grandoculis, and largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, was determined using respirometry to examine the potential of hypoxic areas in the macrophyte zone as physiological refugia for round crucian carp. The tolerance, which was measured as the critical oxygen concentration (Pc), was 1.32 mg O₂/l in the round crucian carp and 1.93 mg O₂/l in the largemouth bass. As the round crucian carp tolerated hypoxia better than the largemouth bass, hypoxic areas in the macrophyte zone might function as physiological refugia for round crucian carp.     

Amplitude of the daily rhythm of body temperature in eleven mammalian species

The amplitude of the daily rhythm of body temperature was investigated in 11 species of small mammals. Recording equipment, housing and environmental conditions were identical for all species. Intraperitoneal temperature was measured by telemetry at 6 min intervals for 10 or more days. The results indicate that the amplitude of the body temperature rhythm is a species-specific trait in small mammals. Interspecies differences in amplitude are not a function of surface area (as determined by body size) but seem to relate to diurnality (nocturnal species displaying smaller amplitude than diurnal ones) and habitat (species from temperate habitats displaying smaller amplitude than species from desert and tropical habitats).     

金鱼早期仔鱼体表的电镜观察

应用扫描和透射电镜技术对金鱼(Carassius auratus)孵出1 d3、d9、d龄仔鱼的体表进行了观察。仔鱼的上皮细胞呈扁平、多边形,彼此之间由增厚的边缘嵴状突紧密连接,细胞向内凹陷的表面有指纹状嵴突。孵出3 d的仔鱼体表两侧各有一列间隔有序呈丘状突起的味蕾,外被单层上皮细胞,味孔处有一根粗圆的感觉毛。粘液细胞出现在仔鱼头部、腹部、体侧的表皮上,并开口于多个相邻上皮细胞间的连接处。粘液细胞胞质比例大,内含丰富、平行排列的粗面内质网,旁边有大量大小不一、内含物液化状、近圆形的粘原颗粒。9 d后仔鱼体表完全被粘液覆盖,初步建立了以粘液细胞为基础的防病和抗病机制,以机械和化学感觉为主的Ⅰ型味蕾觅食方式。     

表面活性剂对鱼体内铅的蓄积、分布和清除的影响

研究了重金属铅在鲫鱼体内蓄积、分布和清除规律以及阴离子表面活性剂十二烷基苯磺酸钠对鱼体内铅的蓄积、分布和清除的影响。结果表明,铅进入鲫鱼体内后,在不同部位中的分布有差异,铅的含量从高到低依次为内脏,头部,腹肌,背肌。鱼体内铅的含量随着暴露时间的延长而增大;表面活性剂十二烷基苯磺酸钠能延缓铅在鱼体内的蓄积,加快鱼体内铅的清除。鱼体内铅的清除速度比蓄积慢。     

盐酸沙拉沙星在鲫体内的残留及消除规律研究

采用高效液相色谱法测定鲫组织中沙拉沙星并初步研究了盐酸沙拉沙星在鲫组织中的残留及消除规律。在21±2℃下,以20mg/kg的剂量单次口灌给药,取血浆和肌肉、皮肤、肝胰脏、肾脏、卵巢5种组织,各样品中加入甲磺酸达氟沙星作内标,用二氯甲烷提取组织中的药物,正己烷去脂,反相高效液相色谱法测定其中盐酸沙拉沙星的浓度。此方法平均回收率均大于82.97%,日间变异系数小于8.41%,最低检测限可达0.0125μg/g。研究结果表明盐酸沙拉沙星在血浆和5种组织中消除速率快慢不一,肾脏为盐酸沙拉沙星残留的靶组织。若规定可食用组织中的盐酸沙拉沙星在最大残留限量为30μg/kg,由休药期(WDT)公式可得出盐酸沙拉沙星在鲫体内的WDT为14d。