title: Immunocytochemical evidence for the presence of inhibin and activin-like proteins and their localization in goldfish gonads.
abstract: In previous studies, we have demonstrated that inhibin and activin are stimulatory to goldfish gonadotropin release. In the present study, the distribution of immunoreactive inhibin and activin subunits (alpha, beta A, and beta B) in goldfish gonads was examined with domain-specific antibodies against mammalian inhibin and activin subunits, using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. In the ovary, follicle cells surrounding the oocyte were heavily stained with anti-porcine beta A and human beta B subunits. The cytoplasm of previtellogenic oocytes, at all stages of the ovarian cycle, also showed strong reactions with anti-beta A and beta B. As ovarian recrudescence progressed, oocytes that started to accumulate cortical vesicles gradually lost their immunoreactivity, with the reaction intensity inversely proportional to the amount of cortical vesicles in the oocyte; when oocytes became full of cortical vesicles, the oocytoplasm was no longer immunoreactive to anti-beta A and beta B. The staining with antiporcine alpha subunit was similar to that with anti-beta A and beta B but the reaction intensity was weaker than that with anti-beta A and beta B. In the testis, the mature sperm in the tubular lumen exhibited a strong immunoreaction to anti-alpha antibody, while the interstitial tissue was completely negative. However, the immunoreactivities with anti-beta A and beta B in the testis were exclusively restricted to the interstitial tissues. These results provide evidence for the presence of inhibin and activin-like molecules in the goldfish and reveal the distribution of these molecules in the goldfish gonads.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vale
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006054:Goldfish / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007265:Inhibins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins