Summary
In captive African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, ovulation was induced with human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) 4 I.U./g body weight to study the function of postovulatory follicles (POFs). Ultrastructural and enzyme-histochemical data indicate that, apart from special theca cells, the granulosa of relative young POFs (i.e., from 16 h and 28 h after HCG-injection) is capable of producing steroids. Possible functions of the synthesized steroids are discussed. Histological comparison of POFs from stripped and from unstripped fish, as well as histochemical investigation of the contents of ovulated ova and granulosa of POFs at 48 h after HCG-injection, showed that the latter structure is involved in phagocytosis of the disintegrating ovulated eggs. The polysaccharide-lipid-protein material, initially taken up by heterophagolysosomes of the granulosa cells, subsequently undergoes fatty degeneration. The granulosa cells of the POFs showed strong acid phosphatase activity and abundant granular endoplasmic reticulum from 16 h after HCG-injection onward; heterophagolysosomes appeared at 32 h. These results indicate that after ovulation the phagocytotic function of the granulosa develops progressively. Autophagolysosomes, responsible for the final disintegration of POFs, become increasingly evident in the granulosa cells with increasing time after ovulation.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Ball JN (1960) Reproduction in female bony fishes. Symp Zool Soc London 1:105–135
Barka T, Anderson P (1963) Histochemical method for acid phosphatase using hexazonium pararosaline as coupling. J Histochem Cytochem 10:741–753
Barr WA (1963) The endocrine control of the sexual cycle in the plaice, Pleuronectes platessa (L.). I. Cyclical changes in the normal ovary. Gen Comp Endocrinol 3:197–204
Braekevelt CR, McMillan DB (1967) Cyclic changes in the ovary of the stickleback, Eucalia inconstans (Kirtland). J Morphol 123:373–396
Bretschneider LH, Duyvené-De Wit JJ (1947) Sexual endocrinology of non-mammalian vertebrates. Elsevier, Amsterdam, p 146
Burck H-C (1981) Histologische Technik, Leitfaden für die Herstellung mikroskopischer Präparate in Unterricht und Praxis. Thieme, Stuttgart, New York
Chayen J, Bitenski L, Butcher R, Poulter L (1969) Histochemistry, a guide to practical histochemistry. Oliver, Boyd, Edinburgh
Colombo L, Belvedere PC, Marconata A, Bentivegna F (1982) Pheromones in teleost fish. In: Richter CJJ, Goos HJTh (comps) Proc Int Symp Repr Phys Fish, Pudoc, Wageningen, pp 84–94
De Duve C, Wattiaux R (1966) Functions of lysosomes. Ann Rev Physiol 28:435–492
Eding EH, Janssen JAL, Kleine-Staarman GHJ, Richter CJJ (1982) Effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) on maturation and ovulation of oocytes in the catfish Clarias lazera (C & V). In: Richter CJJ, Goos HJTh (comps) Proc Int Symp Repr Phys Fish, Pudoc, Wageningen, p 195
Fawcett DW (1975) Ultrastructure and function of the Sertoli cell. In: Handbook of physiology. Sect 7, Vol V, Am Physiol Soc, Washington
Fostier A, Jalabert B, Billard R, Breton B, Zohar Y (1983) The gonadal steroids. In: Fish physiology. Vol IX Reproduction. Part A Endocrine tissues and hormones, pp 277–372
Goetz FW, Bergman HL (1978) The effects of steroids on final maturation and ovulation of oocytes from brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Biol Reprod 18:293–298
Guraya SS (1976) Recent advances in the morphology, histochemistry, and biochemistry of steroid-synthesizing cellular sites in the non-mammalian vertebrate ovary. Int Rev Cytol 44:365–409
Iwamatsu T (1978) Studies on oocyte maturation of the medaka Oryzias latipes. V. On the structure of steroids that induce maturation in vitro. J Exp Zool 204:401–408
Jalabert B (1976) In vitro oocyte maturation and ovulation in rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri, northern pike Esox lucius, and goldfish Carassius auratus. J Fish Res Board Can 33:974–988
Khoo KH (1975) The corpus luteum of goldfish (Carassius auratus L.) and its functions. Can J Zool 53:1306–1323
Kime DE (1980) Androgen biosynthesis by testis of the goldfish, Carassius auratus, in vitro: The effect of temperature on the formation of steroid glucuronides. Gen Comp Endocrinol 41:164–172
Lam TJ, Nagahama Y, Chan K, Hoar WS (1978) Overripe eggs and postovulatory corpora lutea in the threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus L., form trachurus. Can J Zool 56:2029–2036
Lambert JGD (1970) The ovary of the guppy, Poecilia reticulata. The atretic follicles, a corpus atreticum or a corpus luteum praeovulationis. Z Zellforsch 107:54–67
Lambert JGD, Van den Hurk R (1982) Steroidogenesis in the ovaries of the African catfish, Clarias lazera, before and after an HCG induced ovulation. In: Richter CJJ, Goos HJTh (comps) Proc Int Symp Repr Phys Fish, Pudoc, Wageningen, pp 99–102
Lang I (1981a) Electron microscopic and histochemical investigations of the atretic oocyte of Perca fluviatilis L. (Teleostei). Cell Tissue Res 220:201–212
Lang I (1981b) Electron microscopic and histochemical study of the postovulatory follicles of Perca fluviatilis L. (Teleostei). Gen Comp Endocrinol 45:219–233
Lofts B, Bern HA (1972) The functional morphology of steroidogenic tissues. In: Steroids in non-mammalian vertebrates. Academic Press, New York, London, pp 37–125
Nagahama Y (1983) The functional morphology of teleost gonads. In: Hoar WS, Randall DJ, Donaldson EM (eds) Fish physiology. Vol IX Reproduction. Part A: Endocrine tissues and hormones. Academic Press, pp 223–276
Osanai K, Hirai S, Sato R (1973) In vitro induction of oocyte maturation in the chum salmon. Zool Mag 82:68–71
Pearse AGE (1968) Histochemistry, theoretical and applied. Vol 1, Churchill Livingstone Ltd., London
Peute J, De Bruyn MGA, Seldenrijk R, Van Oordt PGWJ (1976) Cytophysiology and innervation of gonadotropic cells in the pituitary of the black molly (Poecilia latipinna). Cell Tissue Res 174:35–54
Richardson KC, Jarett L, Finke EM (1960) Embedding in epoxy resins for ultrathin sectioning in electron microscopy. Stain Technol 35:313–323
Richter CJJ, Van den Hurk R (1982) Effect of 11-desoxycorticosterone acetate and carp pituitary suspension on follicle maturation in the ovaries of the African catfish, Clarias lazera (C & V). Aquaculture 29:53–66
Saidapur SK (1978) Follicular atresia in the ovaries of nonmammalian vertebrates. Int Rev Cytol 54:225–244
Van den Hurk (1973) The localization of steroidogenesis in the testes of oviparous and viviparous teleosts. Proc Kon Ned Acad Wet Ser C 76:270–279
Van den Hurk R, Lambert JGD (1983) Ovarian steroid glucuronides function as sex pheromones for male zebrafish, Brachydanio rerio. Can J Zool 61:2381–2387
Van den Hurk R, Peute J (1979) Cyclic changes in the ovary of the rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, with special reference to sites of steroidogenesis. Cell Tissue Res 199:289–306
Van den Hurk R, Richter CJJ (1980) Histochemical evidence for granulosa steroids in follicle maturation in the African catfish, Clarias lazera. Cell Tissue Res 211:345–348
Van den Hurk R, 'tHart LA, Lambert JGD, Van Oordt PGWJ (1982a) On the regulation of sexual behaviour of male zebrafish, Brachydanio rerio. Gen Comp Endocrinol 46:403 (Abstr.)
Van den Hurk R, Lambert JGD, Peute J (1982b) Steroidogenesis in the gonads of rainbow trout fry, Salmo gairdneri, before and after the onset of gonadal sex differentiation. Reprod Nutr Dev 22:413–425
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
van den Hurk, R., Peute, J. Functional aspects of the postovulatory follicle in the ovary of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, after induced ovulation. Cell Tissue Res. 240, 199–208 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00217575
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00217575