Effects of
estradiol-17b and 17a-methyltestosterone
on gonadal sex differentiation in the F2 hybrid sturgeon, the
bester
N. Omoto, M. Maebayashi, E. Mitsuhashi, K.
Yoshitomi, S. Adachi, K. Yamauchi-2002
Fisheries Science, 68(5): 1047-1054
Abstract:
The effects of giving oral estradiol-17b
(E2) and 17a-methyltestosterone (MT) on gonadal sex differentiation in the F2
hybrid sturgeon, the bester (Huso huso female x Acipenser
ruthenus male), are investigated. Giving E2 at 10 µg/g
diet to fish from 14 months until 31 months of age induced incomplete
feminization and resulted in approximately 40% abnormal ovary development in
which oocytes were observed without ovarian lamellar structures and gonadal
shape was similar to normal testis. Giving MT at 25 µg/g diet for the
same duration failed to induce masculinization, and resulted in
approximately 30% undeveloped gonads even at 30-37 months of age. In
contrast, E2 and MT at only 1 µg/g diet given from 3 to 18
months of age was sufficient to induce feminization and masculinization,
respectively. In these fish, feminization and masculinization were observed
at 9 months, when most putative ovaries and testes were histologically
distinguishable by the shape of the gonadal surface. These results indicate
that sex reversal can be induced in these fish by hormone treatment that is
started at 3 months age, before morphological differentiation occurs on the
stroma of the gonads.
(Department of Research and Development, The Hokkaido
Electric Power Co., Inc., Ebetsu, Hokkaido 067-0033, Japan, Tel:
81-11-343-8006. Fax: 81-11-385-6558. Email: omoto@epmail.hepco.co.jp)