• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.12-21
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• 1990

When a piece of the dorsal skin(cat fish) was observed under a light microscope, melanophores were horizontally expanded and had a few processes filled with melanosomes. They were isolated from one another. Some melanophores looked black, while others were d&k brown. On observation with a transmission electron microscope, the epidermal melanophore of cat fish was highly branched and small segments of processes were found frequendy m the vidnity of the interecellular spaces. The cross section of the processes of melanophore was almost circular, and often invested by a thin layer of epidermal cells. Some processes, however, occurred free m the wide interecellular spaces or at the cytoplasm of the superilcial layers. In the mature melanophore, the cell organelles including melanosomes, mitochondria and free ribosomes were prominent in the perinuclear portions. Many melanosomes were spherical or elipsoidal in shape. Each melanosomes was surrounded by a limiting membrane. The processes of the mature melanophore were well developed, but the processes of the immature melanophores were incompletely developed.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2017

On the 15 days after hatching, the larvae was 4.24-5.10 mm (mean $4.66{\pm}2.18mm$) in total length, and the fins of the membrane started to develop into a fan shape and the melanophore was deposited upper the alimentary canal of the abdomen and on the bladder. At 35 days after hatching, the post-larvae formed a branch-shaped melanophore on the head part with a total length of 6.98-12.5 (mean $9.35{\pm}1.71$) mm, formed on the upper and lower parts of the caudal part, formed on the upper and lower parts of the caudal part, and deposited under the head part and abdomen. At 40 days after hatching, the juvenile was 11.3-18.1 (mean $14.9{\pm}1.53$) mm in total length.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.65-75
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• 1987

The ultrastructure of the cutaneous chromatophores and the origin of pigment granules in the goldfish, Carassius auratus L., are studied with electron microscope. Leucophores contain amorphous pigment granules, leucosomes and melanosomes contain oval shaped electron dense melanin pigment granules. These pigment granules are synthesized from the Golgi complexes of each chromatophores and released into the cytoplasm. Among the dermal chromatophores, another kind of dermal cells, named rER rich cells, are also observed. And pinocytotic vesicles are being formed only the inner surface of the chromatophores adhering to the rER rich cells. From these observations, such hypothesis are being possible that pigment materials are synthesized and transfered from the rER rich cells to dermal chromatophores by the pinocytosis. And next remodelizing mechanisms are carried out by the Golgi complexes of each chromatophores.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 2002

Recent evidence has suggested that trunk neural crest cell generally assumed to have equivalent differentiation potentials, demonstrate differentiation bias along the anterior/posterior axis. In amphibian and fish, neural crest cells give rise to three chromatophore types, melanophores, xantho-phores, and iridophores. Each pigment cell type has distinct characteristics but there is speculation about the cellular plasticity that exists among them. Neural crest cells migrate along specific routes, ventromedially and dorsolaterally. Neural crest cells that travel dorsolaterally are the first cells to begin migration in the axolotl and are the major contributors to the visible pigment pattern. Many factors and mechanisms that are responsible for guiding migratory neural crest cells along potential pathways or determining their fate remain unknown. A single lineage of the crest, which becomes restricted to one of the three pigment cell types, gives us the opportunity to examine the existence of neural crest stem cell populations and cellular plasticity. Study presented here showed results from recent in vitro studies designed to identify parameters influencing differentiation events of individual neural crest-derived pigment cell lineages. Melanophore production from neural crest explants originating from different levels along the anterior/posterior axis of wild type-axolotl embryos were compared and demonstrate that the differentiation of melanophores is enhanced in subpopulation of neural crest treated with forskolin. Forskolin (an adenylate cyclase activator) increases intracellular CAMP concentration and eventually activates the protein kinase-A signaling pathway. Melanophore number, melanin content, and tyrosinase activity in explants taken from the anterior-most region of the crest increased significantly in response to forskolin treatment. This study suggests implications of region specific influences and developmental regulation in the development of pigment pattern.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1089-1094
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• 1996

The in vivo effect of tyrosinase inhibitors in the melanogenesis of gold fish (jet black color) was evaluated by measuring surface color and observing melanin pigment. The fish was firstly cultivated in 0.9% NaCl solution for 1 week to induce melanogenesis, and then, it was transferred to each treatment group containing tyrosinase inhibitor. The fish was grouped into control. food additive group (addition of 5 mM glutathione, 5 mM cysteine, and 1 mM benzoic acid), microbial inhibitor group (addition of culture broth of Aspergillus oryzae in shiitake and glucose medium), and plant extract group (addition of the mixed extracts of green tea, beet, red chicory, and nameko). After 6 days, the fish was anesthetized by electric shock, and color of pectoral region, lateral region, and dorsal fin was measured. Hunter's L and b values of treated group were generally higher than those of control group, indicating that the tyrosinase inhibitors could inhibit the melanogenesis of the fish. Effect of plant extract was apparent, though relatively weak, not because it did not work in vivo, but because a sufficient amount of extract could not be added to fish globes. If a large amount of extract was added, fish gradually died due to a microbial contamination. Microscopic observation of melanin in lateral scale and dorsal fin showed that in the treated groups with tyrosinase inhibitors, the number of melanophore per unit area and the size of one melanophore decreased.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.127-135
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• 2007

In order to monitor the developmental features of embryos, larvae, and juveniles of Konoshiro Gizzard Shad Konosirus punctatus, the fertilized eggs were gotton using artificial insemination. Konosirus punctatus were caught in Mankyung-myeon, Kimjae, Jeollabuk-do at June of 2004, and experiments were carried out in Ichthyology laboratory in Chonnam National University. Konosirus punctatus spawned draft egg from March to June. The fertilized eggs were cultured in $19.0{\sim}23.0^{\circ}C$(mean, $21.2^{\circ}C)$. The eggs had spherical shape and the diameter is $1.14{\sim}1.34\;mm$(mean, 1.21 mm). The lens began to appear from 35 hr 53 min after fertilization. At the moment, the movement of larvae was more active, and the tail was separated completely from yolk, the heart had forms, and melanophore appeared. Hatching was observed from 37 hr 10 min after fertilization. The total length of the hatched larvae was $4.26{\sim}5.30\;mm$(mean, 4.96 mm), but the mouth and anus were not opened at the time when the larva had yolk sack, and had $22{\sim}27$ myometium, and the anus located just abdominal front of the tail fin, and melanophore accumulated in the eye. Post-larvae used yolk completely after 2 day of hatching, and the total length was $4.96{\sim}5.74\;mm$(mean, 5.24 mm). From 16 days after hatching, the tail had curved tail end, and appeared the stems for pectoral, dorsal, and caudal fins. At 53 days after hatching, the total length of post-larvae was $27.11{\sim}34.09\;mm$(mean, 30.11 mm), and the frontal part of head developed like an adult one. At this time, fins and body are transferred to those of adult Konosirus punctatus. Fishes have a different shape and location of melanophore even in the same family. This research was tried to elucidate the early developmental features of Konosirus punctatus, together with species-specific pattern of melanophore.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.133-144
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• 1981

The ultrastructures of the pigment cells in the Asiatic land salamander (Hynobius leechi) dorsal skin were obtained by means of electron microscope. The results were as follows; 1. The pigment cells of the epidermis consisted of the melanocytes in the germinal layer and of the melanophores distributing to the keratinocyte layer. The traits of these cells in the epidermis were as follows: A. The nuclei of the melanocytes were round or oval in shape and appeared as partly small or large infoldings of the nuclear envelope. B. Rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulums and Golgi complexes were well developed in infranuclear cytoplasm. Many ribosomes were mainly distributed around the perinuclear portion. C. The melanosomes of the melanocytes were observed as a found or an oval shape and strong electron-dense or less electron-dense melanosomes were observed. D. The infoldings of the nuclear envelope in the melanophore were partly found deeper than those of the melanocyte. The cytoplasm of the melanophore filled with melanosomes caused organelles not to be observed in that. 2. The pigment cells in the dermis were composed of the xanthophores just beneath basement membrane and the melanophores in the connective tissue. The traits of these cells in the dermis were as follows: A. The xanthophores contained round or oval vesicles, and these vesicles were divided into 6 types (type I pterinosome, type II pterinosome, type III pterinosomes, type iv pterinosome, type V pterinosome, type VI pterinosome). B. Most of the nuclei of the melanophores in the dermis were elongate in shape, and a portion of the nuclear envelope was deep infolded. C. Becuase the cytoplasm was filled with the melanosomes of the same electron-density, organelles were not observed in the cytoplasm. D. Two processes of the melanophore in the dermis extended in parallel with a xanthophore and the cytoplasm in those processes were filled with the melanosomes.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.74-82
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• 2020

Dragonet fish (Callionymidae), living in benthic upper 900 m of all subtropical, tropical and temperate oceans, comprises 200 species in 20 genera worldwide, of which 18 species in 6 genera occur in Korea. Although dragonet fish plays an important role in linking between top predators and lower trophic levels, there are only few studies about their early life history. Herein, we present molecular and morphological data on larvae and juveniles of Bathycallionymus kaianus (Günther, 1880) collected from the Korean waters. During 2016 to 2018, one preflexion larvae [2.69 in total length (TL)], three flexion larvae (3.65 and 4.77 mm TL), six postflexion larvae (6.07 and 7.94 mm TL), and three juveniles (10.81 and 12.26 mm TL) were collected in the East Sea, Korea Strait, and Jeju Island using Bongo net. Of them, 13 individuals were identified through molecular markers (COI or 16S rRNA) and morphologically described. The larvae of B. kaianus are well distinguished from other species of Callionymidae in melanophore distribution, body shape and development of preopercular spine. It was very similar to larvae of two Repomucenus species, R. valenciennei and R. virgis, but was clearly distinguished in melanophore distribution, preopercular spine development, and head shape.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.231-240
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• 1984

The authors observed pigment cells in the dorsal skin of Korean frog (Rana nigromaculata coreana Okada) under an electron microscope. The traits of pigment cells were as follows. The three kinds of dermal chromatophores were horizontally expanded; adjacent closely contiguous and partially overlapped with one another and there were the intercellular space between a xanthophore and an iridophore, or an iridophore and a melanophore. 1. Xanthophores: Xanthophores were filled with pterinosomes and carotenoid vesicles, the formers of which were evenly distributed in each cell. Pterinosomes were five kinds of types (type I, type II, type III, type IV and type V pterinosomes). Especially typical type II and type III pterinosomes were well observed in the cytoplasm. 2. Iridophores: Xanthophores were closely contiguous to the xanthophore situated above and they were filled with reflective platelets. Mostly these platelets are arranged regularly, that is, in parallel with the surface of skin, but partly, nonparallel. 3. Melanophores: Melanophores were filled with melanin granules, each of which revealed the same electron density. The pocesses of melanophore entended to bilateral sides of iridophores and melanin granules were dispersed especially in the processes.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.37.1-37.10
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• 2018

The larvae and juveniles of Porocottus leptosomus belonging to the family Cottidae were collected (n = 95, 3.9-16.5 mm in body length, BL) from Busan, Korea, in March 2015. The larvae and juvenile were identified using DNA barcoding as P. leptosomus, and their morphological description was presented in detail. The yolk-sac larvae (3.9-5.6 mm BL) body was slightly compressed, the head was large, the eye was round and large, and the anus was before the middle of the body. The preflexion larvae (5.2-10.0 mm BL) body length drastically increased; caudal fin rays began to occur. The flexion larvae (9.4-11.8 mm BL) notochord flexion started; dorsal, pectoral, and anal fin rays began to occur; pelvic fin buds are seen; they possessed a pair of parietal spine; and a pair of supraocular cirri was first to develop. At 12 mm BL, the notochord was completely flexed. The larva stage (3.9-12.6 mm SL) had the stellate melanophores in the head, isthmus, gut, and tail (along to the ventral midline). During the juvenile stage (11.4-16.5 mm BL), melanophores covered the head and began to form five black bands on the side of the body. The larvae of P. leptosomus spent pelagic life, but moved to the bottom during the juvenile stage. The larvae and juveniles of P. leptosomus differ from other cottid larval fishes by body shape, melanophore head pattern, and spine development. P. leptosomus can be distinguished from Porocottus allisi by morphological development and the occurrence of larval fish: preopercular spine development, melanophore pattern, and caudal fin development.