• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.174-183
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• 2001

During the rapid phase of gonadal development of the freshwater teleost, the catfish (Silurus asotus), the influence of hCG upon the inducement of final oocyte maturation and spawning was investigated electrophoretically and ultrastructurally. The electrophoretic patterns obtained were different in the presence and absence of some of the major or minor zones, because of the hormone level in catfish. The vitellogenin of hormone-treated fish was stained more intensively than that of sham-treated fish. These proteins showed some minor or main bands of egg extracts which migrated at positions corresponding to molecular weights of approximately 90,000. However, the thickness of electrophoretic band in molecular weight for hCG-treated fish was slightly lower than that for saline control. It seemed the plasma protein with molecular weight of approximately 45,000 in hCG-treated fish disappeared. In contrast to the control fish, the ovaries in the catfish treated with hCG shows a marked ultrastructural change under the electron microscope. No dilated profiles were seen in the granulosa cells of the mature oocyte before ovulation. After germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), the zona radiata interna (ZRI) becomes more compact, and there is a loss of all the processes from the pore canals. There is a wide space between the vitelline membrane and zona radiata. Also, during final maturation, the microvillar processes from the oocyte are seen no longer to penetrate deeply into the extracellular spaces of the overlying granulosa cells, and the reticulate patterns of the zona radiata interna becomes occluded, giving the zona radiata a more solid appearance. It has been possible to initiate 100% oocyte maturation in yolk granules and follicles in vivo by treatment with hCG and a high water temperature ($27^{\circ}C$). In hCG-treated fish, the percentages of successful artificial fertilization and hatching were maximal at 15 h after a single injection. It seems clear that a long acting preparation containing hCG can be successfully used in prespawning fish to advance the final events of gonadal maturation and initiate spawning. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the potential of hCG to either stimulate or inhibit the reproductive development of fish at other stages of the seasonal reproductive cycle.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2009

For the study of the reproductive mechanism associated with the process of vitellogenesis, oocyte development and vitellogenesis during oogenesis in female Boleophthalmus pectinirostris were investigated by electron microscopic observations. The ovary consists of a pair of saccular structures with many ovarian lobules. In the early vitellogenic oocyte, the Golgi complex plays an important role leading to the formation of yolk vesicles containing carbohydrate yolks. At this time many pinocytotic vesicles containing yolk precursors are observed in the cytoplasm near the region of initial formation of the zona radiata. In the late vitellogenic oocytes, the multivesicular bodies, which are formed by modified mitochondria, are involved in the formation of the primary yolk granules. Precursors of yolk granules and multivesicular bodies develop to primary yolk globules with participation of pinocytotic vesicles. After primary yolk globules mix with each other, they develop into secondary and tertiary yolk globules. Based on these findings, vitellogenesis of B. pectinirostris occurs by way of the processes of endogenous autosynthesis and exogenous heterosynthesis. The process of autosynthesis involves the combined activity of the Golgi complex, mitochondria, and multivesicular bodies. However, the process of heterosynthesis involves pinocytotic incorporation of extraovarian precursors into the zona radiata of vitellogenic oocytes by way of the thecal cell layers and granulosa cells.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.501-506
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• 1998

In the goby Micropercops swinhonis, the development of its egg's enveloping layers could be divided into 4 stages. In the earliest developmental period, stage I, there is a simple oocyte surrounded by a layer of squamous follicular cells. Stage II corresponds to the yolk vesicle stage of vitellogenesis. Here the initial follicular layer has become bilaminar with the retention of its outer squamous cell layer and the acquisition of an inner cuboidal cell layer just over the zona radiata. The number and size of the cuboidal cells increases throughout this stage. Stage III corresponds to the yolk granule stage of true vitellogenesis. Here the cuboidal cells begin to be replaced by columnar cells. As the oocyte grows, the columnar cells increase in size. The columnar cells produce cytoplasmic neutral mucins and by the end of this stage their cytoplasm has been filled with this mucin. In stage IV a single layer of squamous cells still remained as the outer follicular layer of the oocyte. The secretory activity of the inner follicular layers' columnar cells has ceased and they had lost their cell wall integrity and ended as a series of bullet-shaped, neutral mucin deposits.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2007

A histological study on development and transformation of the oocyte' follicle cell for Korean four sillurid fishes, Liobagrus obesus, L. mediadiposalis, Pseudobagrus koreanus, and P. brevicorpus was performed by light and electron microscopes. The follicular layer surrounding the oocyte consisted of an outer theca cell and an inner follicle cell (granulosa cell). The follicle cells of the oocyte were flatten cells at early oocyte but during vitellogenesis they were transformed it to a single layer of cuboidal cell, then to a single columnar cell layer, and finally to a layer covered with a substance secreted by themselves. Although the development and transformation of the follicle cells was similar to four species, the secreted materials, called an adhesive membrane, were divided into two types in its appearance and nature. Firstly, a jelly coat-like type was found in L. obesus and L. mediadiposalis, which they are presumed to be polysaccharides and mucoproteins in its nature and secondly, a granular type in P. koreanus and P. brevicopus, being mucoprotein. A zona radiata with about $0.6{\sim}3.1{\mu}m$ thin was present below the adhesive material secreted by the transformed-follicle cell's activity. The zona radiata was composed of two layers, a thin externa and a thick interna.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2000

Ultrastructure of the zona radiata the micropyle and fertilization process in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were examined by light, scanning and transmission microscopes . The egg micropyle of rainbow trout consists of a funnel-shaped vestibule and a tapered canal transversing the zona radiata. The micropyle showed the type with a flat pit leading into a long canal and the micropylar wall showed the clockwise spiral structure. There were a great number of microvilli secreting adhesive materials having trapping function attracting the spermatozoa in the vicinity of micropyle. It was apparent that ridges extended between the projections. In the initial stages of penetration, the spermatozoon still within the micropylar canal attached perpendicularly at its apical tip to the egg surface, then the sperm head was rapidly engulfed by the folded egg surface with its many microvilli. The spermatozoon disappeared from the outer surface of the egg before the fertilization cone completely retracted 250 seconds after insemination. No interconnecting ridges was present in the egg surface. In short, the block to polyspermy to permit entry of a single sperm is considered to be mechanical by the morphological design of the micropyle and fertilization cone.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.281-286
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• 2005

The ripe unfertilized eggs of Acheilognathus signifer were elliptical shape and baggily swollen toward animal pole. The size of fertilized eggs were $2.19{\pm}0.01$ mm in long axis and $1.85{\pm}0.08$ mm in short axis and oil globe were not observed. The zona radiata of A. signifer had the structure of regular fibrilar net and the diameter of outer opening micropyle was about $2.5{\mu}m$ and that of inner opening micropyle was about $1.5\sim2.0{\mu}m$. Development of fertilized eggs in A. signifer was proceeded in inclining position of animal pole and hatched in 49 hours under $20{\pm}1^{\circ}C$. The yolk sac was absolutely absorbed in 21 days after hatching.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.130-134
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• 2002

The ovary of the rockfish, Sebastes inermis was cystovarian condition and consists of numerous ovarian lobules. Previtellogenic oocytes were embedded in the connective tissue of the ovarian lobules. As the oocytes grows, it protruded into the ovarian cavity and form grapes cluster-like structure with egg stalk-like structure. Yolk granules and zona radiata were not observed in the embedded early oocytes about 20 $\mu$m in diameter. In the oocytes about 80 $\mu$m in diameter, yolk granules with electron dense were abundant in the ooplasm near the egg stalk-like structure. However, pinocytosis was not obsened in the pore canal system of the zona radiata. In this stage, microfilaments, developed endoplasmic reticula, tubular mitochondria, granular materials with low electron density and active multivesicular bodies were observed in the egg stalk-like structure. This results suggest that the egg stalk-like structure of the rockfish are related with the oocyte attachment and exogenous vitellogenesis of the intial vitellogenic oocyte.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.212-219
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• 1995

Through the histolosical observation of ovary in the nine species of the genus Cobitis, we found that specific adhesive membranes were attached to the outer zone radials during the vitellosenesis. These adhesive membranes could be classified into four forms as follows: 1) granular form of Colitis lutheri, C. striate, and C. sinensis, 2) villous form of C. longicorpus, C. konensis koreensis, C. k. pumilus, and C. granoei, 3) saw-like form of C. rotundicaudata, and 4) filamentous form of C. chou. The various forms of adhesive membrane of egg in the cobitid fishes are showed a species specificitv with reference to their habitats and spawning property.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.179-184
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• 2014

A histological study on the egg envelope and oogenesis of Gobiobotia brevibarba (Pisces, Cyprinidae) was carried out by a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope. Various developmental cells appeared in the ovary caught during May 2014, spawning season. For the relative area of oocyte, the ovary consisted of mature stage (74.5%), a vitellogenic stage (yolk granule stage, 16.6% and yolk vesicle stage, 6.6%) and previtellogenic stage (perinucleolus stage 2.2%), which means its spawning season. The cytoplasm of the perinucleolus oocyte is acidic and many nucleoli are located at the inner side of the nuclear membrane. The yolk vesicles, an early vitellogenic stage, has a follicular layer and a zona radiata clearly. Numerous villi, called an egg envelope, begin to form on the zona radiata. The yolk granules, an another vitellogenic stage, proceeds and they show a strong eosinophilic nature. Such yolk granules appeared between the yolk vesicles occupying most cytoplasm, and as the stage proceeds, there are some yolk masses fused with each other. Egg envelope is covered with plenty of villi ($2{\sim}3{\mu}m$ in the length) over the entire egg surface.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2007

Oocyte surface in two Korean minnows, Rhynchocypris oxycephalus and R. kumgangensis was examined by light and electron microscope. In two species, the development of the oocyte was similar, but the follicular layer surrounding full-grown oocyte showed an evident difference. In R. oxycephalus, the follicular layer at the yolk vesicle stage became bilaminar with the retention of its outer squamous cell layer and the acquisition of an inner cuboidal or round cell layer just over the zona radiata. As the oocyte grows, the cuboidal cells of the inner follicular layer began to be replaced by columnar cells. At the yolk granule stage, the columnar cells secreted mucin to their cytoplasm (adhesive materials) and then surround the entire oocyte, as bundles of fence-shaped structures. Whereas, although the follicular layer of R. kumgangensis had an outer squamous layer and an inner cuboidal or round cell layer at the yolk vesicles as in R. oxycephalus, no inner cells were more changed with the retention of its cuboidal or round cells. Finally, in R. kumgangensis, the adhesive materials did not occur. In Korean two minnows, the structural difference in the oocyte surface seems to be related to their habitats and spawning characteristics as well as taxonomic characters.