• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.279-288
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• 2020

Changes of gonadal morphology and mRNA expression patterns of vitellogenin were investigated in Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii (Chondrostei) during its early gonadal maturation period. Early differentiations and morphological transitions of both ovaries and testes appeared to occur actively until the age of 3 years, however from then on, the maturation patterns to full maturity were largely gender-dependent, in which males showed a faster progression of maturation than did females while females experienced a steady-state progress with a lagged interval before entering the final maturation. Expression of vitellogenin mRNAs are closely correlated with transitional patterns of gonadal appearances. In both females and males, hepatic mRNA levels of vitellogenin exponentially increased in the earliest interval (up to 1-year-old). However, in subsequent periods, vitellogenin expression in females continued to increase with age, whereas in males, the expression stabilized at a younger age. Nevertheless, at the age older than or equal to 7-year-old, fully matured individuals showed a quite low level of vitellogenin expression in both females and males. Collectively, results from this study could be useful as a fundamental guideline to address the gonad maturation of this sturgeon species, which is helpful for making practical decisions about farming practices and management for caviar production on local sturgeon farms.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.143-148
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• 2011

Even though ark shell, Scapharca broughtonii is commercially important species, its artificial seed production is not yet fully developed. This study was carried out to understand the effect of three microalgal species on gonadal development and sex maturation of S. broughtonii in terms of broodstock management and food organism. Isochrysis galbana, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Tetraselmis tetrathele were supplied to S. broughtonii broodstock in single or mixed. And condition index, gonadal development, sexual maturation and survival of the broodstock were analysed. After 45 rearing days, frequency of ripe stage of gonadal phases, rate of induced sexual maturation and survival of S. broughtonii broodstock fed mixed diet with 3 microalgal species or single diet of T. tetrathele were the highest.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.333-340
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• 2013

This study was performed to determine whether stem bark extract containing saponin of Albizzia julibrissin in the diet influences gonadal maturation and spawning in medaka (Oryzias latipes). The crude extraction containing saponin (HaBC) was partially purified from n-BuOH extraction of A. julibrissin stem bark by Diaion HP-20, Silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 chromatographies. We fed diets supplemented with HaBC to medaka. We then studied the effects of the HaBC supplement on the suppression of gonadal maturation and spawning in female medaka that were reared in aquaria with recirculation systems. In the experiment with immature female medaka, the periods of initiation of gonadal maturation and spawning were delayed in the fish that were fed diets supplemented with at least HaBC 20 mg/g-feed. In the experiment with mature female medaka, the fish that were fed diets supplemented with at least HaBC 20 mg/g-feed had lower GSIs than the control diet group did. The results showed that the growth of the immature medaka was not correlated with the amount of supplementation of HaBC in the diet. However, the condition factors (CF) in the medaka that were fed diets supplemented with at least HaBC 20 mg/g-feed were higher than in the medaka fed on the control diet. We concluded that extracts containing saponin from the stem bark of A. julibrissin have the potential to inhibit gonadal maturation in female medaka, but they did not act as growth stimulation. Further studies are required to determine the mechanism of the action.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2000

Artificial gonadal maturation and spawning inducement of striped knife-jaw Oplegnathus fasciatus were studied. Effects of water temperature and photoperiod under different regims on gonadal activity and maturation of three years old O. fasciatus were investigated histologically. In experiment I (Exp. I), water temperature was gradually increased from $14.5^{\circ}C$ to $21.0^{\circ}C$ and photoperiod was also gradually increased from 10 : 30 L to 15 : 30 L from December 1996 to February 1997 and this conditions were maintained till April. In experiment II (Exp. II), water temperature was increased in the same way from Exp. I and photoperiod was controlled as natural condition till early March and then increased to 15 : 30 L immediately. Control fish were reared in net-cage culture system in the sea from December 1996 to April 1997. Gonadal activity was initiated by increasing water temperature in both Exp. I and II from January. In Exp. I, gonadal maturation and spawning were induced from February when water temperature and photoperiod reached at $21.0^{\circ}C$ and 15 : 30 L, respectively. In Exp. II, complete gonadal maturation was not induced until early March but after treated by compensatory long photoperiod (15 : 30 L), the gonad was matured and subsequently spawning occurred.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.76-90
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• 1993

To clarify the relations between photoperiodism and x-organ of eyestalks to the control of gonadal maturation in a freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense, the present investigation was performed with following examinations: 1) the influence of water temperature and daylength on the control of gonadal maturation, 2) the effect of eyestalk ablation on the gonadal maturation, 3) the seasonal variation of histology of MEX-organ (medulla externa X-organ) in the eyestalk. In previtellogenesis period (December${\sim}$March) and vitellogenesis period (April${\sim}$May), gonadal maturation was considerablely influnced by water temperature. In these periods, GSI increased and gonads were matured with water temperature rising without regard to photoperiod conditions (12L/12D and 15L/9D). In spawning period (June${\sim}$August), however, gonadal maturation was influenced by photoperiod condition. While high value of GSI was kept at long photoperiod regime (15L/9D), GSI was decreased at short photoperiod regime (12L/12D). In resting period (September${\sim}$November), no rematuration was occurred at all the experimental regimes combinated with water temperatures ($16^{\circ}C,\;22^{\circ}C,\;28^{\circ}C$) and photoperiod (12L/12D, 15L/9D). Effect of X-organ which inhibite the gonadal maturation was stronger in resting period than that in previtellogenesis and ealy spawning periods by observations on the effectiveness of eyestalk ablation on the gonadal maturation. In MEX-organ of eyestalk, the number of neurosecretory cells of which size was over $20{\mu}m$ in diameter varied according to the reproductive cycle. The number of cells increased $77{\pm}12$ in resting period, and decreased $55{\pm}7$ in vitellogenesis period. Volume of Bellonci's organ, however, increased in vitellogenesis period in comparison with that in resting period.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.157-171
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• 2021

To determine whether the reproductive processes of sea bass, Lateolabrax japonicus, proceed normally after transportation from an outdoor net-cage into indoor tanks, we examined changes in the gonadosomatic index (GSI), histological gonadal tissue, and plasma levels of sex hormones (testosterone and estradiol-17ß) during their annual reproductive cycle. We also measured maturation and spawning across two sea water salinity levels (full and low salinity). Fecundity was estimated by the relationship between egg number and body size in female sea bass. Monthly changes in the GSI, histological gonadal tissues, and oocyte size showed both male and female sea bass reach final maturation in January and February, respectively, indicating that the spermiation of males occurs earlier than the spawning of females. The histological results indicated that the sea bass is a multiple spawner, similar to many marine teleosts, exhibiting group-synchronous oocyte development. Female maturation and spawning were enhanced in lower salinity seawater (29.6-31.0 psu) compared to that of normal salinity (34.5-35.1 psu). These results confirm that sea bass reproduction can occur successfully in captivity and imply that fertilized eggs can be collected from February to March. Additionally, our results show that lower salinity enhances oocyte maturation and spawning of female sea bass.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.338-346
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• 1995

Studies on activities of hepatocytes and changes of protein and total RNA contents in liver and muscle tissues associated with the gonadal maturation were performed using the adult rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli collected monthly from the adjacent waters at Poryong, Chungnam, Korea. Hepatosomatic index (HSI) of female increased from September and reached the maximum value (2.58) in February (growing stage of ovary). HSI of male began to increase from October (early maturation stage) and revealed the maximum value (3.20) in April (recovery stage). During the period of yolk formation in oocyte, the amount of glycogen particles and lipids in the hepatocytes of female gradually decreased, but total RNA contents increased. In the hepatocytes of male, a number of lipid droplets remained until the mature stage of testis. With the gonadal development of both sexes, granular endoplasmic reticula (Er) became abundant in the hepatocyte. These Ers might be supposed to have the leading role for the syntheses of protein and vitellogenin in the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes. Protein and total RNA contents in the liver and muscle tissues of female began to increase from January (growing stage) and reached the maximum value in early April (maturation stage), and then decreased in late April (gestation stage). In male, their contents began to increase from October (early maturation stage), thereafter reached the maximum value in December (maturation and copulation stage), and decreased in January (degeneration stage).

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.990-997
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• 2015

The condition factor (CF) were calculated by the morphometric data, and gonadal maturation and reproductive potential associated with fecundities of indoor cultured Hapalogenys nitens were investigated by microscopic and morphometric analysis from August 2011 to October 2012. Monthly changes in the GSI and CF were closely related to gonadal maturation and spawning. The ovary consisted of a pair of saccular structure with many ovarian lobules, the testis is a pair of lobular structure with many testicular lobules. The relationship between total fecundity (F) and total length (TL) of fish was expressed as $F=0.0449TL^{2.7926}$($r^2=0.0653$), and body weight (BW) was expressed as $F=1.4492BW^{0.8964}$($r^2=0.0863$). In this study, some exceptional special cases and phenomena were observed: absolute and relative fecundities were not increased with the increases of total length and body weight, respectively. Absolute and relative fecundities were no concerned with the increases of age classes of total length (cm) and of body weight (g).

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.5.1-5.7
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• 2016

The study was conducted to know the cyclic changes in gonadal maturation and to investigate the developmental stages of oocytes and testicular germ cells of an air-breathing fish, Channa striata. Fish were sampled monthly from lentic and lotic environments of three geographical locations of Bangladesh from December to November and the histological analysis of their gonad was done to evaluate the objectives. The highest mean GSI was $5.95{\pm}0.20$ for female in July and $0.14{\pm}0.01$ for male also in July showing that the gonadal development reached its peak during this month. The highest mean oocyte diameter was $1257.50{\pm}24.17{\mu}m$ observed in July implying that the oocyte reached maturity in this month. Histological study of ovary revealed the evidence of early yolk granule stage and late yolk granule stage from April to July. In case of male four stages of spermatogenesis were distinguished and spermatozoa were highly abundant in June and July. So the monthly pooled values of GSI and the analysis of gonadal histology indicated that the peak breeding season of C. striata occurred in July in the lentic and lotic environments. Samples collected from lentic and lotic habitats are suggestive of no difference in the development of the gonad. The results of the present study will be useful for selective breeding programme, conservation and sustainable fishery management of C. striata in its natural habitat.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.208-218
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• 2001

We have investigated the gonad index (GI), gonadal development, reproductive cycle, first sexual maturity, sex ratio, the number of spawned eggs and spawning frequency of the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum. Samples were collected from the intertidal zone of Komso Bay, Korea from January to December in 1999. Monthly changes in the gonad index (GI) and condition index showed a similar pattern in the reproductive cycle. The spawning period was once a year between early June and early October, there was a spawning peak between July and August when seawater temperature was over $20^{\circ}C$. The reproductive cycle of this species can be categorized into five successive stages; early active (February to March), late active (April to May), ripe (April to August), partially spawned (June to October), and spent/inactive stage (August to March). Percentages of first sexual maturity of female and male clams of l5.1-20.0mm in shell length were $56.3\%$ and $60.0\%$, respectively, and $100\%$ for the clams >25. mm. The sex ratio of individuals >15.1 mm in shell length was about 1:1 $(\chi^2= 0.02,\;p>0.05)$. Number of the eggs released from each clam by the induction increased as the size of clam in terms of shell length increased. Mean number of the eggs from the second induction of the spawning was $75.35-84.30\%$ $(average\;79.81\%)$ of the number of the eggs released in the first spawning. Our data indicated that R. philippinarum in Komso Bay has one major spawning peak with over two minor spawning, and the interval of each spawning was estimated to be approximately 15-17 (average 16.5) days.