The role of hormones in the acquisition of sperm motility in salmonid fish

Abstract

In salmonid fish, spermatozoa taken from the testes are immotile, but acquire motility during their passage through the sperm duct. Using male masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou), we found that gonadotropin-induced testicular production of 17 alpha, 20 beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17 alpha, 20 beta-DP), the oocyte maturation-inducing hormone of salmonid fish, is responsible for the acquisition of sperm motility. However, neither testosterone (T) nor 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), the two major androgens in teleost fish, were effective. We also present evidence that 17 alpha, 20 beta-DP action is mediated through an increase in sperm duct pH, which in turn increases the cAMP content of sperm allowing the acquisition of motility.

Morphometric changes and sex steroid levels during the annual reproductive cycle of the Lusitanian toadfish, Halobatrachus didactylus

“…While until now 17,20b-P has been shown to be involved in sperm function in teleosts (Baynes and Scott, 1985;Miura et al, 1991bMiura et al, , 1992, for those species in which this hormone is lacking a similar role may be taken by 17,20b,21-P (Thomas et al, 1997) or 17,20a-P (Vermeirssen et al, 2000). However, in Lusitanian toadfish 17,20b,21-P stays elevated for a long period and follows the pattern of swimbladder hypertrophy.…”

Social Modulation of Sex Steroid Concentrations in the Urine of Male Cichlid FishOreochromis mossambicus

“…This is probably partly because of an acceleration of gonadal development in dominant fish in connection with a putative role for these steroids in Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient for the Concentrations in the Urine of the Four Measured Steroids male reproduction. 17,20b-P is a hormone largely assoat Day 5 after Group Formation ciated with acquisition of sperm mobility and spermiation in male salmonids (Miura et al, 1992) and cyprinids 17,20a-P 17,20b-P T 11KT (Asahina, Barry, Aida, Fusetani, and Hanyu, 1990; 17,20a-P -0.831 0.803 0.867 Asahini, Aida, and Higashi, 1993), where it also has a 17,20b-P -0.786 0.808 pheromonal role (Dulka,Stacey,Sorensen, Kraak, 1987).…”

“…In this work adult males, about Nagahama, 1992) and to function as a primer phero-1 1 2 years old, ranging from 7.9 to 10.4 cm standard mone released by females (Sorensen, Stacey, and Chamlength, and females ranging from 6.0 to 7.0 cm standard berlain, 1989; Liley, Olsen, and Foote, 1991) but a direct length were used. Fish were kept at 24 / 2ЊC on a role on male behavior has not yet been found.…”

17,20β-P and cortisol are the main in vitro metabolites of 17-hydroxy-progesterone produced by spermiating testes of Micropogonias furnieri (Desmarest, 1823) (Perciformes: Sciaenidae)

“…One explanation could be that 17,20β-P is intratesticularly produced and concentrated and is not released in high amounts to blood. This could be possible if 17,20β-P play an autocrine or paracrine function in M. furnieri testes as it was demonstrated in other fish (Miura et al, 1992;Thomas et al, 2004;Milla et al, 2008;Tubbs et al, 2011). Another explanation regarding the small amounts of 17,20β-P is the possible conjugation and metabolism that may occur in peripheral tissues rapidly removing this steroid from blood (Scott et al, 2010).…”

“…The induction and advancement of spermiation was the clearer function suggested for this steroid (Ueda et al, 1985;Scott et al, 2010). Amplification of milt production (Baynes & Scott, 1985;Yueh & Chang, 1997) and stimulation of spermatozoa motility (Miura et al, 1992;Miura & Miura, 2003;Tubbs & Thomas, 2008) were other proposed functions.…”