Endocrine control of reproduction of the powan of Loch Lomond, 'Coregonus lavaretus (L.)' (Teleostei): with special reference to the pituitary gonadotrophin-gonadal steroid axis
Abstract
In order to provide an accurate basis for the correlation of endocrine changes and phases of the reproductive (and associated)
cycles in the powan of Loch Lomond, 'Coregonus- lavaretus (L.), the
following experiments were carried out,
Cell types in the pituitary were identified using light microscopy
and transmission electron microscopy. To locate gonadotropic
cells an immunofluorescence technique was employed using antibody
prepared in rabbit and an immunodiffusion method to detect the
presence of antibody in the rabbit serum.
In order to purify pituitary gonadotropin, two purification
techniques 'were used. One was alcoholic extraction followed by gel
filtration on sephadex; the other was buffer extraction followed by
affinity chromatography on Concanavalin A-sepharose. To characterise
the fractions from columns, two in vitro bioassays were employed;
(i) ovulation of the oocytes of medaka (Oryzias latipes); (ii) Cyclic
AMP production in immature trout gonads.
The concentration of pituitary gonadotropins was measured using
a heterologous radioimmunoassay technique.
Using a radioimmunoassay technique, the serum testosterone and
oestradiol-17β concentrations were determined.
Serum proteins were characterised using SDS gel electrophoresis.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
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