• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.165-172
• /
• 2007

Gonadal development, reproductive cycle and sex ratio of the purplish Washington clam, Saxidomus purpuratus were investigated monthly by histological observations. Samples were collected from May 2006 to April 2007 in the Gangjin Bay of Namhea, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. The clams are dioecious. The gonads consist of a number of oogenic follicle and acinus. Monthly changes in the gonad index reached a maximum in April and a minimum in July. Monthly changes in the condition index reached a maximum in June and a minimum in November. The reproductive cycle of this species can be divided into five successive stages: the recovery and resting stage (June to December), early active stage (January to April), late active stage (February to July), ripe stage (March to October), spent stage (April to October). The main spawning of the clam occurred in July and September in Gangjin Bay. The sex ratio of female to male was not significantly different from 1:1.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.219-224
• /
• 2000

Reproductive biology of the naked-headed goby, Faronigobius gymnauchen was investigated by means of histological methods. The ovary was consisted of several ovarian lamellae and the oogonia originated from the inner surface of the ovarian lamella. The testis was seminiferous tubule One in internal structure. Seminiferous tubule was consisted of many testicular cysts which contained numerous germ cells in a same developmental stage. The size of group maturity was 4.5 cm intotal length. Gonadosomatic index(GSI) of the female and male was the highest in June and July, respectively. Reproductive cycle could be classified into the growing ($January{\~}March$), maturation ($April{\~}May$), ripe and spent (June{\~}July$), and recovery and resting ($August{\~}December$). Oocyte development was group-synchronous, and yolk nucleus was observed in the early growing oocyte.

• Journal of Aquaculture
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.73-79
• /
• 2001

Testicular development of the male African lungfish, Protopterus annectens (Owen) was investigated histologically. The testis was found to be an elongated structure that possessed two distinct portions: an anterior spermatogenic part that was made up of a system of testicular tubules and a posterior vesicular part that invaded the kidney tissue. Spermatogenesis can be divided into five stages; primary spermatogonia, secondary spermatogonia, spermatocyte, spermatids and spermatozoa. Based on the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and histological changes observed, the reproductive cycle can be divided onto four distinct stages: resting and quiescent (December to February), growing (March to June) ripe and spent (July to August) and postspawning (September to November). The GSI was the maximum on July when reproductive cells were mature, ripe and ready for spawning; and the minimum in August after fish spawned.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.656-660
• /
• 2001

Gametogenesis, the reproductive cycle, and the condition index of the soft clam, Mya arenaria were investigated monthly based on histological observation at Sachon Bay, south coast of Korea from May 1998 to September 1999 . M. arenaria is dioceious. The ovary and testis were composed of a number of ovarian sacs and testicular tubules, respectively. Ripe oocytes were characterized by germinal vesicles with nucleoli, and their sizes about $60{\mu}m$ in diameter. Monthly changes in condition index and water temperature were closely related to the annual reproductive cycle. The reproductive cycle can be classified into 5 stages: early active stage (february to March), late active stage (April to August), ripe stage (September), partially spawned and spent stage (September to October), inactive stage (November and January).

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.529-535
• /
• 1984

This study aims at obtaining the basic data for the development of pen shell culture at Yoja Bay, the southwest coast of Korea. The authors dealt with the annual gonadal changes of the pen shell, Atrina pectinata japonica, to find out the gametogenesis, reproductive cycle and spawning season, and to investigate the fluctuation in the larval occurence in Yoja Bay. From July 1983 to June 1984, an average of 20 individuals as specimens were monthly collected by commercial fishing dredge near Manwol island located at the mouth of Yoja Bay. The degree of gonadal development was determined by the histological observations as resting spent stage, early developmental stage, after developmental stage, early spawning stage, after spawning stage and degenerative stage. According to these degrees of gonadal development, annual reproductive cycle of the pen shell population was determined. From July to August, the gonads were changed through degenerative into resting stage and, in September and October, they became entirely empty gonads. From November they showed the first sign of gametogenesis developing very slowly. Nevertheless, the developing gametes did not increase in number probably owing to a phagocytic phenomenon by phagocytes which appeared in the gonad during this stage. Some individuals started spawning in April and in May majarity of individuals were in spawning stage. In June, majority of the individuals showed signs of degenerative stage. Therefore, the authors came to a conclusion that the pen shells in Yoja Bay spawn chiefly in May. And this is also supported by the result of the survey on the planktonic occurrences of the pen shell larvae. Namely, there were no larvae at all in April, only a few in May and many in June by vertical water sampling.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.175-180
• /
• 2000

The reproductive cycle of ovoviviparous melania snail, Semisulcospira libeytina libertina was studied in the valley near Naewon Temple in Yangsan, Korea. Water temperature (WT) of the habitat ranged from 1.3$^{\circ}C$ to 22.5$^{\circ}C$ The meat weight rate (MWR) reached the maximum with the beginning of WT increase in March and the minimum in August. Monthly changes in average oocyte diameter showed the maximum (249.6$\pm$2.6 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) in July and the minimum (134.3$\pm$2.8 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) in December S. libertina libertina seemed to be a year-round breeder except for mid-summer and mid-winter. Two main reproductive cycle of the species could be divided into five successive stages: multiplicative (March, October), growing (April and May, November), mature (June and July, December), ovulation (August, January), parturition (September and October, March to May) and resting (September, February) stages in female and multiplicative (March, October), growing (April, November), mature (March to June, December), copulatory (July and August, January), resting (September, February) stages in male.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.16 no.1_2
• /
• pp.35-41
• /
• 2000

We investigated the gonad index (GI), gonadal development, the reprodutive cycle and first sexual maturity of the venus clam, Cyclina sinensis by histological observation. Samples were collected from the intertidal zone of Komso Bay, Chollabuk-do, west coast of Korea, from April 1998 to March 1999. This clam is dioecious and oviparous. Monthly changes in the gonad index (GI) showed a similar pattern to the reproductive cycle. Ripe oocytes are about 90-100 ㎛ in diameter. The spawning period was between early July to September, and the main spawning occurred between July and August when the sea water temperature was over 20$\^{C}$ The reproductive cycle of this species can be divided into five successive stages: early active stage (February to April), late active stage (March to June), ripe stage (April to August), partially spawned stage (July to October), and spent / inactive stage (September to February). Percentages of first sexual maturity of female and male clams measuring 26.1-30.0 ㎜ in shell length were 53.3% and 62.5%, respectively, and 100% for the clams > 41.0 ㎜. It is assumed that both sexes begin reproduction at about two years age.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.299-303
• /
• 2021

The ascidian Halocynthia aurantium (sea peach), a marine invertebrate, belongs to the same genus of the phylum Chordata along with the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi (sea pineapple), which is one of the model animals in the field of developmental biology. The characteristics of development and reproduction of H. aurantium are not yet known in detail. In order to find out the spawning period of H. aurantium, we investigated development of the gonads during the annual reproductive cycle. Testis and ovary were both in the bisexual gonads (ovotestes) of H. aurantium, which is a hermaphrodite like H. roretzi. In H. aurantium, the right gonad was longer and slightly larger than the left gonad throughout the year. In each gonad, the number of the testis gonoducts was slightly higher than that of the ovary gonoducts. These features were similarly observed in H. roretzi. However, the number of the testis gonoducts and the ovary gonoducts in each gonad of H. aurantium was about half that of H. roretzi. The gonads of H. aurantium contracted during the winter and summer seasons. The gonads decreased to the smallest size around February, and then started to increase again in March. The gonads were most developed in September of the year. Therefore, it is estimated that the spawning of H. aurantium begins around this period.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.95-106
• /
• 2012

It has been revealed that multiple cohorts of tertiary follicles develop during some animal estrous cycle and the human menstrual cycle. To reach developmental competence, oocytes need the support of somatic cells. During embryogenesis, the primordial germ cells appear, travel to the gonadal rudiments, and form follicles. The female germ cells develop within the somatic cells of the ovary, granulosa cells, and theca cells. How the oocyte and follicle cells support each other has been seriously studied. The latest technologies in genes and proteins and genetic engineering have allowed us to collect a great deal of information about folliculogenesis. For example, a few web pages (http://www.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov; http://mrg.genetics.washington.edu) provide access to databases of genomes, sequences of transcriptomes, and various tools for analyzing and discovering genes important in ovarian development. Formation of the antrum (tertiary follicle) is the final phase of folliculogenesis and the transition from intraovarian to extraovian regulation. This final step coordinates with the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. On the other hand, currently, follicle physiology is under intense investigation, as little is known about how to overcome women's ovarian problems or how to develop competent oocytes from in vitro follicle culture or transplantation. In this review, some of the known roles of hormones and some of the genes involved in tertiary follicle growth and the general characteristics of tertiary follicles are summarized. In addition, in vitro culture of tertiary follicles is also discussed as a study model and an assisted reproductive technology model.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.243-248
• /
• 2014

This study histologically describes the gonadal development and reproductive cycle of the abalone, Haliotis discus hannai inhabiting Jindo on the southern seashores of Korea. Gonads displayed histologically definitive seasonal changes. The female ratio (F/F + M) was 57% (n = 154/271). The gonad index (GI) of both males and females was the highest (3.3 and 3.9) in June and was the lowest (1.1 and 1.1) in December. The condition index (CI) and meat weight rate (MWR) were highest in May and lowest in October. The pattern of changes in the GI, CI and MWR were similar to the pattern of seasonal changes in gonadal tissues. The reproductive cycle was divided into an inactive stage (November-December), early active stage (January-March), late active stage (March-April), ripe stage (May-June) and spent and degenerative stage (July-October). The main spawning period of Haliotis discus hannai was July to August at Jindo in 2013.