Acronym NA
Category
Aquaculture
Title Melatonin - Direct effects on gonadotrope cells in the fish pituitary? Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Kjetil Hodne Coordinator email NA
Coordinator institution
NMBU - Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway)
Institutions involved
NA
Start year 2015 End year 2017 Funding (€) € 221,238 Website https://prosjektbanken.forskningsradet.no/project/FORISS/244461?Kilde=FORISS&distribution=Ar&chart=bar&calcType=funding&Sprak=no&sortBy=date&sortOrder=desc&resultCount=30&offset=240&ProgAkt.3=HAVBRUK2-Stort+program+for+havbruksforskning Summary Improved control of sexual maturation is essential for further development of intensive fish farming, both in terms of precocious maturation in the production line, and timing of ovulation in the brood stock.
This project aims to generate novel knowledge to face the future demands of efficient aquaculture by elucidating molecular mechanisms behind sexual maturation. In particular, the project will investigate how ion channels controlling excitability and hormone release in Fsh- and Lh- producing cells are regulated by melatonin. Melatonin serves as a mediator of environmental cues (mostly photoperiod and temperature) to endogenous signals that regulate the HPG-axis.
In mammals there is a direct effect of melatonin on gonadotrope cells, with melatonin binding leading to inhibition of Gnrh-induced release of luteinizing hormone. Single-cell Ca2+ and electrophysiological recordings revealed a reduction in gonadotropin release due to melatonin induced inhibition of calcium channels and intracellular signaling. It is not clear if melatonin can act as a direct regulator on gonadotrope cells in fish, as it does in mammals. Moreover, the mechanism for melatonin effects on mammalian gonadotrope cells currently is not known.
In this project, I will test the hypotheses that melatonin directly regulates gonadotrope cells, and whether this would be exerted through regulation of specific ion channels.
If we are able to dissect the response of melatonin directly on gonadotropes and understand how this is modulated through development we hope that this can lead to target specific treatments to reduce the incidence of precocious puberty in farmed fish.
Keywords
Fish;
Fish reproduction;
Fish biology;
Marine Region
76
Not associated to marine areas
0
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