Ovarian Structure and Oogenesis of Catfish Pimelodella vittata (Lütken, 1874) (Siluriformes, Heptapteridae)

Abstract

The morphology of the ovaries and oogenesis of Pimelodella vittata were studied using anatomical and histological techniques to provide information of its reproductive biology. Eighty adult females were captured trimonthly during the period November 2005 to October 2006. The ovaries are paired, saculiform organs, which are coated with tunica albuginea and contain ovigerous lamellae, where the oocytes develop before being released into the ovarian lumen and following the ovarian duct until reaching the genital papilla. Oogenesis was divided into stages based on the alterations to the nucleus, ooplasm and surrounding follicular layers. Oogonia form groups from the germinal epithelium have asynchronous development and differentiate into initial perinucleolar oocytes. The formation of the zona pellucida is initiated in the advanced perinucleolar oocytes reaching a thickness of 1.46±0.58 μm in the vitellogenic oocytes. The follicular cells are squamous in perinucleolar oocytes, become cubical in the pre-vitellogenic oocytes and prismatic in the vitellogenic oocytes with a height of 11.20±4.74 μm. The histochemical reactions indicate that zona pellucida, cortical alveoli and yolk globules contain neutral glycoproteins and the follicular cells contain neutral glycoproteins in association with carboxylated and sulphated glycoconjugates. Statistical analyses showed significant differences in the diameter of the oocytes and follicular cells height as oocytes matured. This study represents the first data about the ovarian structure and oogenesis of this species.

Biological variables of Hypostomus francisci (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from Itapecerica River, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

“…The oogenesis was similar to that observed in other Siluriformes with external fertilization (Melo et al 2011, Sales et al 2012, as well as, the histochemistry analysis of oocyte structures (Bazzoli and Godinho 1994). In H. francisci, during the development of oocytes, the zona radiata became visible in pre-vitellogenic oocytes and PAS-positive, indicating neutral glycoproteins.…”

Anatomical and Histological Organization of the Testes of the Inseminating CatfishTrachelyopterus striatulus(Steindachner, 1877) (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae)

“…Most Siluriformes present a pair of lobulated fringed testes, some of these showing a conspicuous seminal vesicle (Parreira et al., ) and others with a secretory caudal region (Santos et al., ). The ovaries are also paired and of the ovarian cyst type, with complete capsule and duct communicating with genital papilla (Sales et al., ).…”

Histochemical Characterization of Oocytes in the Pink Cuskeel (Genypterus blacodes)

“…Gallo and Constantini (2012) suggest that the GC pattern is specific to the species. In this work we have observed that the G. blacodes cortical alveoli possess neutral GCs just as other teleosts, like Lophiosilurus alexandri (Barros et al, 2007), Heterandria formosa (Uribe and Grier, 2011) and Pimelodella vittata (Sales et al, 2013). Through lectin histochemistry it was possible to detect a great variety of sugar residues in the cortical alveoli that reacted positively with most of the employed lectins.…”

“…Moreover, the zona radiata is responsible for the interaction of eggs in water and the protection of the embryo against microorganisms (Sales et al, 2013). Riehl and Patzner (1998) describe the teleosts zona radiata usually consisting of a proteic inner layer and an outer layer that mainly contains neutral and acid GCs.…”

“…Many authors have studied the reproductive cycle of diverse fish species, analyzing the oocytes chemical composition taking into account their cytoplasm, cortical alveoli, yolk, zona radiata, and the theca and granulosa layers (Sarasquete et al, 2002;Calabro et al, 2008;Ortiz-Delgado et al, 2008;Martins et al, 2012;Sales et al, 2013). However, few are the studies on glycoconjugate (GC) characterization in cell structures of vitellogenic and mature oocytes (Ortiz-Delgado et al, 2008).…”