Cyclical changes in the pituitary gonadotrophs (GTH cells) in relation to the testicular cycle in Puntius sarana (Hamilton)

The pituitary gland of Puntius sarana is of the leptobasic type and has three subdivisions--a proximal pars distalis (PPD), a rostral pars distalis (RPD) and a pars intermedia (PI) arranged vertically one below the other. The gonadotrophs (GTH cells) of the PPD were identified by their PAS, ATh, AF, aniline blue and alcian blue positivity and by their immunoreactivity to ovine anti-LH beta-subunit, anti-salmon GTH and anti-silver carp GTH. The testes of Puntius sarana have been classified as the "unrestricted type". The morphological, histological and histometric findings indicate that the testing passes through four distinct stages--preparatory, fully mature, spawning and spent. Spermatogenesis begins in January and continues up to July. The spawning season lasts from late July until October. Cyclical changes in the gonadotrophs correlate well with changes in the testes. The histometric data show that the GTH cells attain maximum values (size and number) during the breeding season. The peak values for testicular weight, lobule diameter, the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and the sperm concentration in the testes, and the number, size and amount of secretory material in the cytoplasm of the gonadotrophs, coincide with the time of maximum environmental temperature and the longest days.