Observations on the spawning behavior of artificially matured Japanese eels Anguilla japonica in captivity

Spawning behavior of artificially matured Japanese eels Anguillo japonica in captivity was investigated using a DVD Video image system. Following a routine hormone treatment technique for this fish, female eels were artificially matured by weekly intramuscular injections of salmon pituitary extracts (SPE) at a dosage of 40 mg kg(-1) BW for a total of 7-11 doses to induce ovarian maturation, while male eels received weekly intramuscular injections of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) at a dosage of 1000 IU kg(-1) BW for a total of 6-11 doses at 18 degrees C to induce testicular maturation in a separate aquarium. In this experiment, three pairs of such hormone-treated matured eels were acclimatized in seawater in 1.5 m(3) experimental aquaria with or without shelters at 20 degrees C for 24 h. Twenty four hours after the acclimatization terminated, the females received SPE injections to boost maturation and ovulation. Twenty four hours following these injections, the females received injections of HCG (1000 IU per fish, HCG injection) and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (2 mg per fish) to induce ovulation, while males were given HCG injections (1000 IU per fish, HCG injection) to induce spermiation. Video taping started after the 24 h acclimatization terminated and last for a total of 96 h. Before the HCG injections, both sexes were inactive, staying on the bottom or in shelters if available. Following these HCG injections, they became active and frequently left the bottom swimming in the water column. During the 24 h following HCG injections, activity accounted for 67% and 45% of the total activity in no shelter treatment for females and males, respectively, in comparison with 77% and 78% in shelter treatment. Activity was significantly more pronounced during this phase than during other phases for each sex in either shelter treatment. Egg release and sperm ejection occurred in the water column around the time eels' activity reached peaks. Eels either returned into the shelters or stayed motionlessly on the bottom of the aquaria after egg release and sperm ejection. Eight out of nine (89%) females in no shelter treatment spontaneously released eggs with a total of 11 batches 14-18 h following HCG injections, in contrast with four out of nine (44%) females releasing eggs for 4 batches 16-20 h in shelter treatment. Males arrived at activity peaks 11-13 h following HCG injections in no shelter treatment, 2-4 h ahead of the females (14-16 h), in comparison with 8-11 h in shelter treatment with 5-6 h ahead of the females (14-17 h). Courtship behavior indicative of spawning such as pairing, chasing and touching bodies was not observed in the eels in this study. However, on many occasions, eels of both sexes (male-female or female-female) were found to "cruise together" in water column for a short time period or frequently come together prior to releasing eggs and ejecting sperm, suggesting the possibility of group mating in artificially matured Japanese eels. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diversities in hepatic HIF-1, IGF-I/IGFBP-1, LDH/ICD, and their mRNA expressions induced by CoCl2 in Qinghai-Tibetan plateau mammals and sea level mice

Ochotona curzoniae and Microtus oeconomus are the native mammals living on the Qinghai-TibetanPlateau of China. The molecular mechanisms of their acclimatization to the Plateau-hypoxia remain unclear. Expressions of hepatic hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 alpha, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)/IGF binding protein (BP)-1(IGFBP-1; including genes), and key metabolic enzymatic genes [lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-A/isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICD)] are compared in Qinghai-Tibetan- Plateau mammals andsea- level mice after injection of CoCl2 (20, 40, or 60 mg/ kg) and normobaric hypoxia (16.0% O-2, 10.8% O-2, and 8.0% O-2) for 6 h, tested by histochemistry, Western blot analysis, ELISA, and RT-PCR. Major results are CoCl2 markedly increased 1) HIF-1 alpha only in mice, 2) hepatic and circulatory IGF-I in M. oeconomus, 3) hepatic IGFBP-1 in mice and O. curzoniae, and 4) LDH-A but reduced ICD mRNA in mice (CoCl2 20 mg/kg) but were unchanged in the Tibetan mammals. Normobaric hypoxia markedly 1) increased HIF-1 alpha and LDH-A mRNA in mice and M. oeconomus (8.0% O-2) not in O. curzoniae, and 2) reduced ICD mRNA in mice and M. oeconomus (8.0% O-2) not in O. curzoniae. Results suggest that 1) HIF-1 alpha responsiveness to hypoxia is distinct in lowland mice and plateau mammals, reflecting a diverse tolerance of the three species to hypoxia; 2) CoCl2 induces diversities in HIF-1, IGF-I/IGFBP-1 protein or genes in mice, M. oeconomus, and O. curzoniae. In contrast, HIF-1 mediates IGFBP-1 transcription only in mice and in M. oeconomus (subjected to severe hypoxia); 3) differences in IGF-I/IGFBP-1 expressions induced by CoCl2 reflect significant diversities in hormone regulation and cell protection from damage; and 4) activation of anaerobic glycolysis and reduction of Krebs cycle represents strategies of lowland-animals vs. the stable metabolic homeostasis of plateau- acclimatized mammals.

Seasonal thermogenesis and body mass regulation in plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae)

Changes in photoperiod, ambient temperature and food availability trigger seasonal acclimatization in physiology and behavior of many animals. In the present study, seasonal adjustments in body mass and in several physiological, hormonal, and biochemical markers were examined in wild-captured plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Our results showed that plateau pikas maintained a relatively constant body mass throughout the year and showed no seasonal changes in body fat mass and circulating levels of serum leptin. However, nonshivering thermogenesis, cytochrome c oxidase activity, and mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) contents in brown adipose tissues were significantly enhanced in winter. Further, serum leptin levels were positively correlated with body mass and body fat mass while negatively correlated with UCP1 contents. Together, these data suggest that plateau pikas mainly depend on increasing thermogenic capacities, rather than decreasing body mass, to cope with cold, and leptin may play a potential role in their thermogenesis and body mass regulation.