Abstract
In general, female zebrafish,Brachydanio rerio, ovulate only in the presence of males. The stimulant must be pheromonal as even male holding water is capable of inducing ovulation. After ovulation the mating phase begins. During this phase the male follows the female and oviposition as well as fertilization takes place. Both the ovulation and the mating are controlled by pheromones synthesized by the gonads. Ovulation can be induced by testicular homogenates. After the lipid material has been extracted from the testicular homogenates, the remaining aqueous phase can still induce ovulation. However, when the aqueous phase is treated with the enzymeβ-glucuronidase, it loses the ability to induce ovulation. This is an indication that glucuronides, probably steroid glucuronides, are the compounds responsible.
During the mating phase, ovulated female zebrafish become attractive to males. It was found that, after ovulation, ovarian extracts contain the compounds responsible for attracting males. The attractant consists of a mixture of steroid glucuronides.
After incubation of the gonads with3H-precursors seven steroid glucuronides have been identified in the testis and five in the ovary.
Under fish culture conditions the African catfish,Clarias gariepinus, can produce postivitellogenic oocytes throughout the year. However, in capitivity neither males nor females spawn. In female catfish maturation and ovulation can be induced by treatment with gonadotropins. It might be possible that, analogous to the zebrafish, some reproductive processes in the catfish have to be induced by pheromones. It has been demonstrated that pheromonal compounds released by the seminal vesicles are involved in the attraction of female conspecifics. The steroid glucuronide synthesizing capability of the testes and the seminal vesicles of the male catfish are examined, as well as that of the ovary before and after ovulation of the female catfish. Both testes and seminal vesicles appear to be capable of steroid biosynthesis but only the latter synthesizes steroid glucuronides. Six of these conjugates have been isolated and identified. In the female catfish the ovaries are capable of synthesizing seven steroid glucuronides, but only after ovulation.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References cited
Bruton, M.N. 1979. The breeding biology and early development ofClarias gariepinus (Pisces: Clariidae) in Lake Sibaya, South Africa with a review of breeding in species of the subgenusClarias (Clarias) Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. 35: 1–45.
Chen, L.C., and Martinich, R.L. 1975. Pheromonal stimulation and metabolite inhibition of ovulation in the zebrafish,Brachydanio rerio. Fish Bull. 73: 889–894.
Colombo, L., Marconato, A., Colombo Belvédère, P., and Friso, C. 1980. Endocrinology of teleost reproduction: a testicular steroid pheromone in the black goby,Gobius jozo. L. Boll. Zool. 47: 355–364.
Colombo, L., Colombo Belvédère, P., Marconato, A., and Bentivegna, F. 1982. Pheromones in teleost fish.In Proceedings of the International Symposium of Reproductive Physiology of Fish, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 2–6 August 1982, pp. 84–94. Edited by C.J.J. Richter and H.J.Th. Goos. Pudoc, Wageningen.
Eding, E.H., Janssen, J.A.L., Kleine Staarman, G.H.J., and Richter, C.J.J. 1982. Effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) on maturation and ovulation of oocytes in the catfishClarias lazera (C. & V.).In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology of Fish, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 2–6 August 1982. pp. 195. Edited by C.J.J. Richter and H.J.Th. Goos. Pudoc, Wageningen.
Hogendoorn, H. 1983. The African catfish (Clarias lazera C. & V. 1840). A new species for aquaculture. Thesis Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Van den Hurk, R. 1973. The localization of steroidogenesis in the testes of oviparous and viviparous teleost. Proc. Kon. Acad. Wetensch. C 76: 270–279.
Van den Hurk, R. 1977. Arguments for a possible endocrine control of the reproductive behaviour of male zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio). J. Endocrinol. 72: 63 P.
Van den Hurk, R. and Richter, C.J.J. 1980. Histochemical evidence for granulosa steroids in the follicle maturation in the African catfish,Clarias lazera, Cell Tiss. Res. 211: 345–348.
Van den Hurk, R. and Lambert, J.G.D. 1983. Ovarian steroid glucuronides function as sex pheromones for male zebrafish,Brachydanio rerio. Can. J. Zool. 61: 2381–2387.
Van den Hurk, R. and Peute, J. 1985. Functional aspects of the postovulatory follicle in the ovary of the African catfish,Clarias gariepinus, after induced ovulation. An ultrastructural and enzymehistochemical study. Cell Tiss. Res. 240: 199–208.
Van den Hurk, R., Viveen, W.J.A.R., Pinkas, R. and Van Oordt, P.G.W.J. (1985). The natural gonadal cycle in the African catfish.Clarias gariepinus; a basis for applied studied on its reproduction in fish farms. Isr. J. Zool. (in press).
Lambert, J.G.D. 1978. Steroidogenesis in the ovary ofBrachydanio rerio (Teleostei).In Comparative Endocrinology. pp. 65–68. Edited by P.J. Gaillard and H.H. Boer. Biochemical Press, Elsevier/North-Holland, Amsterdam.
Lambert, J.G.D. and Van Oordt, P.G.W.J. 1974. Ovarium hormones in teleosts. Fortschr. Zool. 22: 340–349.
Lambert, J.G.D. and Van den Hurk, R. 1982. Steroidogenesis in the ovaries of the African catfish,Clarias lazera before and after an HCG induced ovulation.In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology of Fish, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 2–6 August 1982, pp. 99–102. Edited by C.J.J. Richter and H.J.Th. Goos. Pudoc, Wageningen.
Liley, N.R. 1982. Chemical communication in fish Can. J. Fish. Aq. Sci. 39: 22–35.
Peute, J., van der Gaag, M.A. and Lambert, J.G.D. 1978. Ultrastructure and lipid content of the liver of the zebrafishBrachydanio rerio, related to vitellogenin synthesis. Cell Tiss. Res. 186-297-308.
Peute, J., Huiskamp, R. and van Oordt, P.G.W.J. 1985. Quantitative analysis of estradiol-17β induced changes in the ultrastructure of the liver of the male zebrafish.Brachydanio rerio. Cell Tiss. Res. 242: 377–382.
Van Ree, G.E. 1976. Effects of methallibure (I.C.I. 33.828) and ovine luteinizing hormone on the ovary and the pituitary of the female zebrafish,Brachydanio rerio I and II. Proc. Kon. Ned. Akad. Wetensch., C 79: 150–170.
Van Ree, G.E. 1977a. Histological and enzymehistochemical study of the ovary of the zebrafish,Brachydanio rerio, in vitro. I. Effects of duration of cultivation on the ovaries in organ culture. Proc. Kon. Ned. Akad. Wetensch., C 80: 313–322.
Van Ree, G.E. 1977b. Histological and enzymehistochemical study of the ovary of zebrafish,Brachydanio rerio, in vitro. II. Effects of ovine luteinizing hormone, carp gonadotropic hormone and 11-deoxycorticosterone acetate on ovarian fragments in short-term organ culture. Proc. Kon. Ned. Akad. Wetensch. C 80: 323–340.
Van Ree, G.E., Lok, D. and Bosman, G.J.G.M. 1977.In vitro induction of nuclear breakdown in oocytes of the zebrafish,Brachydanio rerio. Effects of the composition of the medium and of protein and steroid hormones. Proc. Kon. Ned. Akad. Wetensch. C80: 353–371.
Resink, J.W., Voorthuis, P.K., Van den Hurk, R., Viveen, W.J.A.R. and Van Oordt, P.G.W.J. 1985. Testes and seminal vesicles as possible sources of pheromones in the male African catfishClarias gariepinus, an enzyme-histochemical approach. Eur. Soc. Comp. Physiol. Biochem. 7th Conference- Fish Culture - Barcelona, Spain.
Richter, C.J.J. 1976. The African catfish,Clarias lazera (C. & V), a new possibility for fish culture in tropical regions?In Aspects of fish culture and fish breeding. pp. 51–71. Edited by Huisman. Miscellaneous papers 13, Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Richter, C.J.J. and Van den Hurk, R. 1982. Effects of 11-deoxycorticosterone-acetate and carp pituitary suspension on follicle maturation in the ovaries of the African catfish,Clarias lazera (C. & V.). Aquaculture 29: 53–66.
Schoonen, W.G.E.J. and Lambert, J.G.D. 1986a. Steroid metabolism in the testes of the African catfish,Clarias gariepinus (Burchell), during spawning season, under natural conditions and kept in ponds. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 61: 40–52.
Schoonen, W.G.E.J. and Lambert, J.G.D. 1986b. Steroid metabolism in the seminal vesicles of African catfish,Clarias gariepinus (Burchell), during the spawning season; under natural conditions and kept in ponds. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 61: 355–367.
Stacey, N.E., and Hourston, A.S. 1982. Spawning and feeding behaviour of captive Pacific herring,Clupea harengus pallasi. Can. J. Fish. Aqu. Sci. 39: 489–498.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lambert, J.G.D., van den Hurk, R., Schoonen, W.G.E.J. et al. Gonadal steroidogenesis and the possible role of steroid glucuronides as sex pheromones in two species of teleosts. Fish Physiol Biochem 2, 101–107 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02264077
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02264077