• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.212-218
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• 2007

Reproductive biology (sexual maturity and reproductive cycle) of starry flounder Platichthys stellatus were examined by histological methods. From March 2004 to February 2005, 144 females and males were sampled. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) of female and male were peaked in May and February, respectively. Monthly changes of hepatosomotic index (HSI) showed a negative correlationwith those of the GSI. Changes of condition factor (CF) in female were correlated with gonad maturation, while that of male were no difference all the year round. Based on monthly GSI and gonadal development the reproductive cycle of starry flounder could be divided into four stages: growing stage (September to November), maturation stage (September to February), ripe and spent stage (March to May), and recovery and resting stage (June to August). Biological minimum size of female was 1,074 g. The relationship between fecundity (F) and body weight (BW) of the fish was expressed as $F\;=\;455.86BW^{1.2006}$.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.142-148
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• 1999

Monthly changes in the gonad index (GI), egg-diameter composition, gonadal development, reproductive cycle of the ark shell, Scapharca subcrenata, were investigated by histological method and morphometric data. This species is dioecious and oviparous. The gonad is located among the subregion of mid-intestinal gland, digestive diverticula and the outer fibromuscular layers compacted by the fibrous connective tissues and muscle fibers. The gonad index sharply increased in May, reached the maximum value in June, and then gradually decreased from July to December. The reproductive cycle of this species can be divided into six successive stages: early active stage (January to May), late active stage (June to July), ripe stage (June to August), partially spawned stage (July to September), degenerative stage (August to December), and resting stage (January to April). S. subcrenata spawns once a year between July and early September, and the main spawning occurred between July and August when the water temperatures were above $20^{\circ}C$. This evidence suggest that timings of maturation and spawning are closely related to water temperatures. Even though the spawning period was once a year, it is assumed that the number of spawning frequencies (broods) may occur more than twice during the spawning season.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.296-301
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• 2017

We conducted a study to 1) determine the indicators of gonadal maturity in male and female Korean walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma for the purposes of artificial insemination; 2) establish the RNA/DNA ratio of mature eggs in this species; and 3) monitor the effect of refrigerated storage on egg viability and the motility of sperm collected from dead adult males. During the spawning season, the color of female gonads changed from orange to transparent, and that of male gonads changed from pale orange to milky white. The DNA content and RNA/DNA ratio of mature eggs were maintained without significant changes for approximately 6 h when eggs were preserved at $4^{\circ}C$. Sperm could be obtained from both milt and undiluted semen. Sperm obtained from milt ceased moving on the second day after isolation, while over 60% of sperm obtained from semen showed movement until the 13th day. Seven attempts were made to artificially inseminate mature eggs, of which two resulted in successful fertilization. The successful inseminations produced 94,000 and 5,000 fertilized eggs, respectively. This study shows that artificial insemination of walleye pollock is a viable strategy when natural propagation is not possible.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 1998

The early gonadal development and sexual differentiation of Rhynchocypris oxycephalus are described from the stage of hatching to 150 days after hatching. During this peroid, the average length of the body grew from 0.64 cm to 5.96 cm. the primordial germ cells (PGCs), which could be recognized at the time of hatching, began to protrude into peritoneal cavity at a standard total length of 1.91 cm. At a standard total length of 2.29cm, initial ovarian differentiation wasidentified by the transformation of PGCs to meiotic oocytes. Finally, at the standard total length of 5.96 cm, the female gonads gradually developed towards migratory nucleus oocytes, characterisiing the maturation. Oocytes proliferated rapidly after sex differentiation while the testis entered a period of quiescence, as they continued to multiply but did not undergo growth until the standard total length of 4.00 cm. At a standard total length of 4.00 cm, spermatocytes arrested in thephase of interkinesis, Sertoli-like cells and sperm duct formation, with signs of meiotic activity, were observed. Therefore it may be concluded that R. oxycephalus belongs to the differentiated type of gonochoristic teleosts.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.43-55
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• 1995

Based on the reproductive cycle of Rhodeus uyekii, the reproductive control mechanism was examined under the several combinations of photoperiod and temperature regimes at different phases of their reproductive cycle. In early spring, the gonads developed rapidly under the warm temperature condition(above $8^{\circ}C$), regardless of the photoperiod. In late spring or early summer, gonads intensely regressed under the high temperature condition(above $24^{\circ}C$), regardless of the photoperiod. Thus, it is concluded that the spawning period of R. uyekii is initiated by the rising of water temperature in spring and is terminated by the high temperature in early summer. In autumn, the gonadal recrudescence occurs under the conditions of artificial long daylength with warm temperature(15L/9D, $12^{\circ}C{\sim}20^{\circ}C$), whereas the gonads remain in the existing condition under the short daylength. Therefore, in autumn the gonadal recrudescence is prevented by the short daylength although the temperature is still in favorable condition. In bitterling, the responsiveness of the gonads to photoperiod varies clearly with seasons, which was declined during the winter but increased during the autumn. The critical photoperiod for maturation ranges 12~13 hours of light per day. The results indicate that the proper ranges of temperature and photoperiod for gonadal maturation of this species are from $8^{\circ}C$ to $8^{\circ}C$ and from 13L to 15L, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.1065-1074
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• 2016

Growth factors play an important role during early ovarian development and folliculogenesis, since they regulate the migration of germ cells to the gonadal ridge. They also act on follicle recruitment, proliferation/atresia of granulosa cells and theca, steroidogenesis, oocyte maturation, ovulation and luteinization. Among the growth factors, the growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and the bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), belong to the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-${\beta}$) superfamily, have been implicated as essential for follicular development. The GDF9 and BMP15 participate in the evolution of the primordial follicle to primary follicle and play an important role in the later stages of follicular development and maturation, increasing the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein expression, plasminogen activator and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR). These factors are also involved in the interconnections between the oocyte and surrounding cumulus cells, where they regulate absorption of amino acids, glycolysis and biosynthesis of cholesterol cumulus cells. Even though the mode of action has not been fully established, in vitro observations indicate that the factors GDF9 and BMP15 stimulate the growth of ovarian follicles and proliferation of cumulus cells through the induction of mitosis in cells and granulosa and theca expression of genes linked to follicular maturation. Thus, seeking greater understanding of the action of these growth factors on the development of oocytes, the role of GDF9 and BMP15 in ovarian function is summarized in this brief review.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.115-121
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• 2014

Eyestalk ablation (ESA) is commonly used in aquaculture to stimulate ovarian maturation in crustaceans, and methyl farnesoate (MF) affects crustacean molting and reproduction. To investigate the physiological effects of ESA and MF treatments on the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, we compared the effects of single eyestalk removal and MF injections. The ESA group had the lowest survival rate (50%), and individuals in the $0.1{\mu}g$ and $1.0{\mu}g$ MF-treated groups had survival rates of 80 and 73.3%, respectively. Conversely, molting numbers were highest in the ESA group, and similar to those of the 1.0-${\mu}g$ MF group. To investigate shrimp growth, we measured body weight during the experimental period and found that individuals in the ESA and $1.0{\mu}g$ MF groups showed significant increases in body weight. Furthermore, to investigate the effects of ESA and MF treatments on gonadal maturation, the gonad somatic index (GSI) was calculated after the experiment. All treated groups (ESA and MF) had higher GSI values than the control group, but the ESA and $1.0{\mu}g$ MF groups were not significantly different. Using histological ovary analysis, we determined that all treated groups showed indications of the previtellogenic stage, unlike the control group (immature stage). These results suggest that the high-MF-concentration treatment produced effects similar to those of ESA with respect to molting number, growth, and ovarian maturation.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2002

Reproductive cycle of natural population and artificial control experiments of gonadal development by the conditions of water temperatures-feeding and starvation of Ruditapes philippinarum were investigated by histological observations. The reproductive cycle of natural population in females and males can be categorized into five successive stages; early active (February to March), late active (April to May), ripe (April to August), partially spawned (May to October), and spent-inactive stage (August to March). In the artificial control experiments, gonadal development of this species was inhibited by the low water temperature (10$^{\circ}C$). In the experimental group which was exposed to artificial high water temperatures of 19$^{\circ}C$ and 22$^{\circ}C$, gonadal development was accelerated by the higher water temperatures and was faster (about one month) than that in natural populations. In the high water temperatures-feeding experimental group, the gonadal developmental phase was faster in the small-size group than that in the large-size group, and was faster in lower water temperature (10$^{\circ}C$)(p=0.01). The gonad developmental phases in the high water temperature (22-28$^{\circ}C$)-starvation experimental group showed faster (paired sample t-test, p=0.004) than those in the high water temperature-feeding group in females and males. In the high water temperature-feeding experimental group of female and male gonadal developments of small sized group were more sensitive than those in large sized group after 42 days cultivation, However, the gonadal development of male was more sensitive to the lower water temperature than female. On the whole, sexual maturation in the high water temperature experimental group was faster than those in the low water temperature group, and showed a significant difference (paired sample t-test, p=0.001) between female and male. In the starvation experimental group after 42 days, gonadal developments in the high water temperature-large male group showed faster than those in the high water temperature-large female group. However, in small size, gonad developmental phases showed the same pattern between feeding and starvation experimental groups. During the main spawning season, in the high water temperature-starvation experimental groups in females and males, their gonadal development showed faster than that in higher water temperature-feeding experimental group regardless of their sexes and individual sizes and showed a significant difference (paired sample t-test, p=0.004).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1097-1103
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• 2017

For the artificial induction of the sexual maturation of Anguilla japonica, salmon pituitary extract (SPE) is continuously injected into females, and the eggs obtained from artificial sexual maturation are artificially fertilized with sperms and hatched. However, repeated injection of SPE in the abdominal cavity causes tremendous stress in females, which may prevent their complete sexual maturation and reduce the immune system function, ultimately resulting in death. In addition, the poor quality of the ovulated eggs can reduce the hatching and survival rate of larvae. In the present study, sexual maturation of females was induced by inserting an osmotic (OS) pump containing hormone analogs known to effectively induce sexual maturation into the abdominal cavity of female eels, and the effect of the OS pump on the induced sexual maturation was investigated. Our study results showed that the gonadosomatic index (GSI) was significantly higher in the fish subjected to SPE injection than those subjected to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa), and methyl testosterone (MT) injections, either separately or in combination. In addition, a histological analysis showed that the oocytes in the SPE OS pump groups were more mature (entered the nuclear shift stage) than those in the other groups. These results suggest that an osmotic pump containing hormone analogs can be used to induce sexual maturation in female A. japonica artificially.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.400-403
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• 2003

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia(CAH) is a recognized cause of precocious pseudopuberty. Some children with CAH also develop true precocious puberty with early maturation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. We review a case of CAH who eventually developed central precocious puberty nine months after initial treatment with corticosteroid. A 3-year-old boy visited complaining of rapid growth, a large penis and frequent penile erections. This patient was diagnosed with CAH with elevated 17-OH progesterone and cortical hypertrophy of adrenal gland on CT scan. His gonadotropin levels were within the normal prepubertal range. Even on treatment with corticosteroid he grew rapidly and had testicular enlargement, pubic hair development and rapid bone maturation. At second admission, his gonadotropin levels were elevated both basally and in response to LHRH stimulation, suggesting that the CAH led to early activation of pubertal gonadotropin secretion(true precocious puberty). He was treated with monthly depot injections of a LHRH analog in addition to the hydrocortisone. His second sexual characteristics regressed gradually and rate of linear growth and bone maturation decreased.