• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1288-1294
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• 2013

Knowledge of morphological changes in eel larvae is very important for artificial rearing of eel larvae. In this study, we investigated the morphological structure of the head region and histological changes of the eye retina in artificially reared larvae at various stages and in glass eel just after metamorphosis. Structural changes were observed in the upper jaw (maxilla) and the lower jaw (mandible) after 100 dah (day after hatchery) and after metamorphosis. Teeth had degenerated by the time of completion of metamorphosis. Major histological changes observed in the eye retina were the formation of the outer plexiform layer and the outer nuclear layer from 100 dah larva and a change in the rod cell layer after metamorphosis. The cornea was not observed at 10 dah in the eel larva. More information is needed on the early developmental stages of eel larvae to enable mass production of glass eels. The results obtained in the present research will be useful when developing novel rearing programs for eel larvae.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2007

The present study demonstrates the changes in body weight (BW) and plasma sex steroid hormone profiles during artificial maturation induced by human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) or salmon pituitary extract (SPE) injections in cultured eel, Anguilla japonica, kept in seawater for 3 months. In the weekly SPE-injected female group, BW was relatively stable during vitellogenesis. Following induction of vitellogenesis, females exhibited a rapid increase of BW, and the oocytes were observed to be in the migratory nucleus stage at the end of the experiment. Plasma testosterone (T) and $estradiol-17{\beta}$ ($E_2$) levels increased slightly during vitellogenesis and peaked at an average of 5.82 ng/mL and 4.76 ng/mL, respectively, at the end of the experiment. In the weekly control and HCG-injected female groups, BW slowly decreased during the experimental period, and the oocytes of the two groups were observed to be at the primary yolk globule stage. In the weekly HCG-injected female group, plasma T and $E_2$ levels increased slightly during vitellogenesis and decreased afterward. In the control female group, however, plasma T and $E_2$ levels were not altered during the experimental period. Furthermore, plasma $17{\alpha},20{\beta}-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one$ (DHP) was not detected in all experimental groups. Fertility and hatching rates of SPE-injected females were significantly higher in those that ovulated 15 h after DHP injection than 18 h. These results indicate that long rearing in seawater increases responsiveness to SPE in ovarian maturation of the Japanese eel, resulting in shortened period from completion of vitellogenesis by sex steroid hormone production.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.1402-1411
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• 2014

This study about morphological observation of pre- or post ovulated eggs obtained from artificially maturated female eels. Female eels were divided with two groups as wild eels from nature and feminized eels from farm. Artificial maturation had been conducted with the established methods in this laboratory, and then maturate eggs sampled at fixed 3 times and these were observed with stereomicroscope. Rate of increased body weight (RIW) were measured with 2 times. Egg diameters and development of oil droplets are determined for standardization of egg maturation degree, and the transparency of egg cytoplasm and the homogeneous degrees of egg size were referred to determine of egg quality. Rate of increased body weight (RIW) were good in range about 10 % at final salmon pituitary extracts (SPE) injection time and in range about 20 % at $17{\alpha}$, $20{\beta}$-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP) injection time. Good matured egg for fertilization had $900-1000{\mu}m$ diameter, and they had about 50 oil droplets in size about $100{\mu}m$ diameter. There were not predominant differences at egg size and oil droplet development between wild female and feminized eels.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.219-228
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• 2008

The effects of dietary yeast β-glucan administration on growth, nonspecific immune responses, serum lysozyme, skin mucous lysozyme, NBT (nitroblue tetrazolium) reduction by phagocytes, and disease resistance against Edwardsiella tarda in Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica were evaluated. Fish were fed the diets supplemented with 0%, 0.1% and 0.5% of yeast β-glucan to a commercial diet for 6 weeks. The body weight gain from the fish fed on the 0.5% supplemented diet for 6 weeks was significantly higher than the control. Both serum and skin mucous lysozyme were significantly higher in the all experimental groups except 2 weeks of 0.5% group. The bactericidal activity of serum was slightly increased at 6 weeks. Also, The intracellular superoxide anion production of kidney phagocytes was significantly higher in the all experimental groups. The diet supplemented with 0.1% were also found to raise the relative percent survival (RPS) of Japanese eel after an artificial challenge with 1×107 cells of Edwardsiella tarda per fish. The results suggested the potential of yeast β-glucan to activate some innate immune responses and to improve the growth in Japanese eel.