北海道大学水産科学研究彙報 = Bulletin of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University;第69巻 第1号

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Quantitative Changes of Major Yolk Protein in the Coelomic Fluid and Gonads of the Sea Urchin, Mesocentrotus nudus, during the Reproductive Cycle

Ura, Kazuhiro;Suzuki, Natsuki;Takei, Narumi;Higuchi, Ichiro;Yuhi, Tomoharu;Nishimiya, Osamu;Takagi, Yasuaki

Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/75196
JaLCDOI : 10.14943/bull.fish.69.1.29
KEYWORDS : Sea urchin;Mesocentrotus nudus;Major yolk protein;Coelomic fluid;Gonad;Reproductive cycle

Abstract

Both female and male sea urchins accumulate the major yolk protein (MYP) in the nutritive phagocytes of immature gonads before gametogenesis. Additionally, the most abundant protein in the coelomic fluids of both sexes is MYP. In females, MYP in the coelomic fluid is taken up by the nutritive phagocytes and then transported into growing oocytes. In this study, quantitative changes of MYP in the coelomic fluid of both sexes were examined during the reproductive cycle of the wild sea urchin, Mesocentrotus nudus. In females but not males, positive correlation between MYP level and the gonadosomatic index was observed. These results indicate that MYP in the coelomic fluid is suitable as a biomarker of the onset of puberty and progression of maturity in female sea urchins.

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