Volume 1- Issue 6 : 2017
DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2017.01.000529
Chattopadhyay NR. Biomed J Sci & Tech Res
ISSN: 2574-1241
Review Article
Open Access
A Review on the Reproduction and Development in Fish
Chattopadhyay NR1* and Chattoraj S2
1
Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, India
2
Baharampur Girls College, India
Received: October 27, 2017; Published: November 14, 2017
*Corresponding author: Chattopadhyay NR, Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Tanager 791112, Arunachal Pradesh,
India; Email:
Review
In order that survival of young be more than optimum, the
timing of spawning by the mature adult fish is so adjusted that
must be closely linked to the availability of maximum congenial
environment added by increased food availability of food for the
newly hatched young ones. The availability of food for the larvae
and juveniles of most temperate and cold water fish species varies
on a seasonal basis and following this fish are usually found to have
a discrete and selective spawning season so perfectly timed that
hatched out larvae will get readily available exogenous food from
nature for their further development. Thus, in many temperate
and cold water species, spawning is an annual event. Spawning
culminates a series of preparatory events during which the
gametes develop and the gonads increase in size. The annual cycle
of fishesgenerally categorized into three major phases:
A. Post Spawning phase: Period when the gonads are thin
and slender and appear to be in a resting phase.
B. Pre Spawning phase: Period in which the gonads begin
production of gametes (gameto genesis) and incorporation of yolk
into the oocytes (vitello genesis) which is accompanied by a process
known as gonadal recrudescence i.e. gradual increase in gonad size.
C.
Spawning phase: Period involving final maturation and
ripening of the gametes; this phase culminates in spawning act,
with the release of egg and milt which ensures fertilization.
Thus, gonadal development is considered to encompasses a
series of interrelated phases, each requiring precise coordination
and control if viable gametes are to be produced at the optimum
time of the year for the subsequent survival of the young fish. The
production of gametes involves the manufacture and incorporation
of yolk into the developing oocytes (vitello genesis). During the
early part of gonadal development, the oogonia, through the process
of oogenesis produce mature eggs. Primarily, under the influence
of GTHI, primary oogonium forms several primary follicles which
ultimately develop into mature graffian follicle. It is within this
graffwian follicle eggs mature and get associated with vitallogenin
protein from liver known as yolk granule, acts as a readymade food
for the growing embryo during development of larvae. Supported by
this endogenous food gamete grow in size during post vitallogenic
phase of development alin particular. In the salmonids, for example,
the oocytes increase in diameter from about 50µm to 500-1000µm
prior to the start of vitellogenesis. The incorporation of yolk that
occurs during the vitellogenic phase leads to the diameter of the
oocyte increasing to around 5000µm (5mm). Thus, there is an
enormous increase in oocyte volume during post vitellogenic phase.
This observation supports the view that in majority of fishesthe
gametic development is dependent on endogenous hormone and
the nutrient protein from liver and its subsequent incorporation
into egg cytoplasm. The yolk is derived from vitellogenin, a
lipophosphorotein- calcium complex with a molecular weight of
approximately 440, 000. Vitellogenin is synthesized in the liver
and is then released into the blood system. The vitellogenin is
then transported to the ovary through hepatic portal blood vessel
from which it is sequestered by the oocyte. Following uptake into
the oocyte the vitellogenin splits into two major components
each having a molecular weight of 35 000, which form the yolk
stores. The processes of gametic development and gonadal growth
usually occur gradually and the prespawning phase of the cycle
often continues for a considerable period of time, perhaps several
months, before the actual spawning occurs. These indicate that the
fish can ‘predict’ the arrival of spawning time several months in
advance.
Environmental Influences on the Reproductive Cycle
In general, growth and development of gamete depends on
different environmental cues in nature. The primary environmental
cues are often linked to the annual cycles of day length and
temperature variationsm Chattopadhyay et al. [1]. For example,
in case of Cyprinus carpio and many other cyprinids, gonadal
maturation begins in late winter after the vernal equinox (21st
March) when day length is in increasing manner and as a result
water temperature is also in increasing trend. But in summer when
temperature is high, cessation of spawning activity may occur due
to inhibitory effects of high water temperature. Thus, it is thought
that both photoperiod and temperature are major environmental
cues responsible for the mediation of the reproductive cycle in
Cite this article: Chattopadhyay NR, Chattoraj S. A Review on the Reproduction and Development in Fish. Biomed J Sci & Tech Res 1(6)2017. BJSTR. MS.ID.000529. DOI : 10.26717/BJSTR.2017.01.000529
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Chattopadhyay NR. Biomed J Sci & Tech Res
several species of fish that inhabit temperate latitudes Devlin
RH, Nagahama Y [2]. In temperate area salmon generally breed
at temperature range of 8-10 oC i.e. during late autumn and
early winter, but during autumn and winter when temperature
of river water fal1.sto 1-2 oC, inhibition of oocyte growth and
development may occur. In contrast to this fish are maintained
under experimental condition of constant photoperiod (e.g. 12L:
12D -12h light and 12h dark each day) and temperature) the fish
may still spawn at approximately yearly intervals. This means there
is a strong autonomous component to the reproductive cycle, and
under conditions this endogenous rhythm will have a periodicity of
about 1 year.
In constant environment condition, fishes may spawn at
intervals that are approximately but are significantly different from
1 year. Thus the periodicity of the rhythm is only approximately 1
year, i.e. it is circannual. As a result, many fish species rely on the
seasonally changing cycle of day length to match their annual cycles
of reproduction and these cyclic events will be mediated through
a number of endocrine changes. Consequently, it is ultimately the
neuro-endocrine system which directly controls the different phases
of general development and the maturation of gametes. The general
environmental cues that triggers maturation, gametice growth and
development appears to be primarily environmental in nature
followed subsequent endogenous rhythm. These environmental
cues are often linked to the annual cycles of day length and
temperature variations. For example, for in summer-spawning fish
such as carp, Cyprinus carpio, and many other cyprinids, gonadal
maturation begins in late winter or early spring. The start of the
maturation process is thought to be triggered by a combination of
increasing day length and the rise in water temperature with the
commencement of spring. The extended spawning season, with a
startup season in March–April continues up to the end of August
through scientific management practice. Some authors are of the
idea opinion that in certain fishes’ cessation of spawning activity
may, in part, be due to inhibitory effects of high summer water
temperatures on gonadal differentiation and maturation. For
tropical fishes’ gonadal development and spawning stops with the
fall of temperature that happen with the approach of winter. This
provides a direct evidence that temperature along with photoperiod
is the main controlling factor towards maturation and spawning in
fish. S.
Again, some species such as the Tobinumeri dragonet and
Repomucenusbeniteguri, resume spawning activities as water
temperature falls during the course of autumn. These fish
exhibit two distinct spawning seasons (May-July and SeptemberNovember) during the course of the year. Spawning commences in
spring when the water temperature reaches 18° C, but the spring
spawning season comes to an end once temperature exceeds 28°
C. Spawning that resumes in September when water temperature
falls below 27 °C, and the autumn spawning season continues as
long as temperature stays above 15 °C. Thus, gonadal development
and maturation appear to be inhibited by temperatures lower
than about 15 °C and higher than 27-28 °C. This suggests that
water temperature is probably the major environmental cue for
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Volume 1- Issue 6 : 2017
both inhibition and termination of the spawning seasons in the
Tobinumeri dragonet. In the tropics changes in photoperiod and
water temperature occurs after the vernal equinox that falls on 21st
March every year. Gonadal recrudescence starts after this period
for most of the fishes. Though these two environmental factors are
unlikely to act as major cues for influencing the reproductive cycle
in some fishes like tilapia and Cyprinus carpio. In some tropical
species there does not appear to be any distinct spawning season
and some members of the population can be found to be engaged
in reproductive activities at almost any time of the year. In other
species, spawning activities do seem to vary on a seasonal basis,
with factors such as variations in rainfall and humidity possibly
acting as the environmental cues triggering changes in gonadal
development and maturation.
Endocrine Regulation of Fish Gonad Development
The development and maturation of fish gonads are controlled
by genetic and environmental factors, and regulated by a molecular
network of signals. As in other vertebrates, the HPG axis of the
neuroendocrine system plays a central regulatory role on the
reproductive development of fishes. Gonadotropin-releasing
hormone (GnRH), lying upstream of the HPG axis, is a key regulatory
factor. Once hypo- thalamus-secreted GnRH arrives at the pituitary
gland, the cAMP signal pathway in gonadotrophs will be activated,
transcription, synthesis and secreting of FSH and LH are all upregulated. Via blood circulation, FSH and LH enter the gonads to
regulate gonad development and to promote sexual maturation
by stimulating production of sex steroids. On the other hand, sex
steroids can inhibit synthesis of GnRH in the hypothalamus through
a negative feedback pathway. In recent years, the discoveries of
kisspeptin, which can positively regulate GnRH, and GnIH, which
can negatively regulate GnRH, have been praised as two remarkable
breakthroughs in vertebrate neuro endocrinology Zohar Y [3]. They
have become attractive topics in fish reproduction and physiological
research.
Kisspeptin is a neuropeptide encoded by the kiss gene and
act in conjugation with GPR54 as the receptor. The first research
about kiss function was carried out in hypogonadism De Roux N [4].
The patients had delayed pubertal maturation and reproductive
function due to a mutation in the gene encoding GPR54. Subsequent
studies in mice, rats and monkeys further confirmed the functions
of kiss peptin and GPR54 in reproductive development. Currently
kiss peptin is thought to play a significant role on sexual
differentiation of the brain, the initiation of puberty, secretion and
release of GnRH, transmission of feedback signals of sex steroids
and control of reproductive function by a photoperiodic factor
Tena-Sempere M [5]. Currently, functional research of Kiss peptin
and GPR54 in fish reproduction is developing rapidly. Parhar [6]
found mRNA of GPR54 in GnRH neurons of tilapia, which suggested
a direct effect of kisspeptin on GnRH neurons. Kitahashi [7]
cloned and expressed the Kiss2 gene of zebrafish and medaka. Via
intraperitoneal administration and real-time PCR, they observed a
more important role of kiss2 than kiss1 in regulating zebra fish sex
steroid synthesis. Li S [8] observed elevated levels of LH in goldfish
serum after intraperitoneal administration of mature kisspeptin
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peptides. However, Pasquier [9] confirmed an inhibitory effect
of kisspeptin on LH levels of the eel, Anguilla anguilla. It is worth
noting that two or three types of GnRH usually coexist in one fish
species, and that two types of kisspeptin and GPR54, respectively,
are also found. Thus, the relationship between the kisspeptin/
GPR54 signal system and GnRH, as well as regulatory mechanisms
on reproduction, might differ between fishes and mammals.
GnIH (gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone) was first found in
birds by Japanese scientists in 2000. Subsequent studies showed
that GnIH might regulate reproduction of birds and mammals on
every level of the HPG axis. It can inhibit synthesis and release
of LH and FSH, induce apoptosis of testis cells, and might have a
regulatory effect on the production of sex steroids as well as on
the differentiation and maturation of germ cells by the way of
autocrine or paracrine mechanisms Tsutsui K [10]. The functional
study of GnIH in fishes has just started, and there are still many
inconsistent findings. For instance, Zhang [11] detected lower levels
of LH in the serum of mature female goldfish after intraperitoneal
administration of zebra fish GnIH peptides, which demonstrated
that GnIH could negatively regulate release of LH in goldfish. On
the contrary, the results from intraperitoneal administration of
GnIH to goldfish at developmental stages from early to late gonad
recrudescence showed that GnIH increased pituitary LH-β and
FSH-β mRNA levels as well as reduced serum LH and pituitary
GnIH-R mRNA levels Moussavi M et al. [12] It has been suggested
that GnIH has a seasonal effect on LH and FSH. This could change
our understanding of the regulation of fish re- productive axis. It
would also help us to study the function of GnIH in fish reproduction
and explore new factors negatively regulating GnIH.
There are also types of molecules that can indirectly regulate fish
reproductive development by affecting the HPGaxis. For example,
in many teleosts the release of GtH can be inhibited by dopamine
(DA) Trudeau VL [12], or be accelerated by γ-aminobutyric acid
(GABA) Popesku JT [13], and secretion of GtH can be stimulated
by neuropeptide Y (NPY) Zhang Y [11]. In our group, suppression
subtractive hybridization (SSH) and cDNA microarray were applied
to sterile females of the common carp with abnormal gonads and to
wild type common carp Xu J [14-16]. We found more than 200 genes
expressed differently at the hypothalamus, pituitary or gonad level,
which included 87 unknown genes, whereas the other genes were
associated with growth, organogenesis, energy metabolization,
immune response, signal transduction and cell apoptosis. The
results showed a very complex molecular network regulating fish
reproductive development.
Fertilization and Post-Embryonic Development
Following fertilization, zygote undergoes meroblastic
cleavage to form a ball of cells called morula, which subsequently
transformed into blastula (Figures 1 & 2). The blastula, consists of
a central dorsal blastodisc above the yolk sac, through continuous
division forms three layer above the yolk – indicate the initiation
gastrulation or cell movement. The dorsal layers, which contribute
to the formation of embryo proper, by way of differentiation form
a dorsal epiblast and ventral hypoblast. Below the hypoblast, a
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Volume 1- Issue 6 : 2017
layer composed of loosely packed cell mass remains covering the
yolk, called periblast. Gastrulation in bony fishes is accomplished
by two processes; invagination and epiboly.At the beginning of
gastrulation, the presumptive endodermal and mesodermal cells
at the posterior and posterolateral end of the blastoderm turn
inwards and migrate forwards under the blastoderm, so as to form
the hypoblast. However, there is no in pushing of the epithelial layer
and no true archenteron is formed. The presumptive endodermal
cells lying along the posterior margin of the blastoderm, migrate
inward along the surface of the yolk.
Figure 1: Water hardened eggs with developing eggs
within.
Figure 2: Water hardened eggs with developing larvae
within.
As these cells move inwards, they tend to be concentrated
towards the middle of the blastoderm. The presumptive mesoderm
cells also invaginate in a similar way and roll over the edge of
the blastoderm. Although no true archenteron is formed, the
edge of the blastoderm may be compared with the dorsal lip
of the blastopore of amphibians. The mesodermal cells, after
invagination, also converge towards the middle line, where the
axial organs of the embryo are formed. Next, the precordial plates
as well as the notochord cells also move inwards by rolling over
along the posterior edge of the blastoderm, which corresponds
with the dorsal lip of the blastopore. Notochord, prechordal plate
and mesoderm are continuous with each other end, form the chord
mesoderm. Initially, this involuted cell mass is called the hypoblast.
The presumptive neural plate is now started stretching towards
the posterior edge of the blastoderm and comes to occupy the
areas vacated by the cells that have migrated to the inside. The
presumptive neural cells also tend to be concentrated towards the
midline and form a strip of tissue lying above the notochord and
extend forward to from the posterior edge of the blastoderm. A
peculiar feature in the development of fishes is that the formation
of the primary organ rudiments begins in the anterior part of the
embryo, long before the invagination is completed in the posterior
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Volume 1- Issue 6 : 2017
part. The anterior part of the neural plate, corresponding to the
forebrain appears first, and is followed by the mid brain region.
The notochord gradually separated from the mesoderm, which
becomes thickened due to concentration towards the midline, and
is segmented into somite’s lying on either side of the notochord.
The rest of the mesoderm remains un segmented and is called the
lateral plate mesoderm. The endoderm also becomes separated
from the mesoderm and endodermal plate in the middle line. This
later forms the alimentary canals.
mesoderm (mesomere) gives rise to the kidneys, gonads and their
ducts. The hypomere splits into somatic and splanchnic layers of the
mesoderm and enclose the coelomic cavity. The splanchnic layers
form the mesenchyme which forms the involuntary muscles and
connective tissue of the gut. Heart and blood vessels also develop
from the splanchnic mesoderm. Skeleton and musculature of the
head, outer layers of the eye and the dentine of the teeth develop
from the mesenchyme of the head region.
The process of neurolation in fishes is not like that of the
amphibians. The neural plate does not roll into a tube but narrows
gradually and sinks deeper into the underlying tissue. It then
separates from epidermis, which grows over it and becomes
continuous to form the dorsal surface of the embryo. The neural
cavity is not formed by rolling over of the neural plate, but it
appears later in the brain and the spinal cord by separation of
cells in their middle region. During the process of involution, the
cells of the blastoderm continue to grow over the yolk through the
process of epiboly. During this, the presumptive ectoderm cells
grow over and cover the yolk mass from outside, forming a layer
of cells called epiblast. At the same time the periblast also grows
and forms an inner covering of the yolk. The periblast and epiblast
enclose the yolk in a yolk sac. Gastrulation is completed with the
formation of yolk sac. At this stagethe the embryo proper can easily
be distinguished from yolk sac.
Young stages of fish, from hatchling stage to till they attain
maturity are known as larvae or fry. The larval development period
varies considerably in different fishes. A fish fry with a yolk sac
(Figure 3) is known as the ‘sac fry’ but when the sac disappeared
is known as ‘advanced fry. In some species the advanced fry closely
resembles adult and develop into adult without any larval stage.
This is called direct development and is seen in salmon, trout
and many catfishes. On the other hand, an indirect development
through larval stages takes place in several families of fishes like the
Clupeidae, Cyprinidae, Lophiidae, Anguillidae, Scorpaenidae etc.
In these fishes the larvae (fry) undergoes metamorphosis during
which the larval characters are lost and the adult features appear.
Through this development the larvae attain a miniature adult like
appearance called ‘fingerling’. This enters into an active feeding
stage which results in maturation of gonads to give rise to the adult.
The females are usually larger in size than the males but the latter
attain early sexual maturity.
Hatching and Post-Embryonic Development
After the completion of gastrulation, various organs of the
body are formed resulting in a small embryo with more or less
cylindrical and bilaterally symmetrical body. The body is raised up
from the surface of the yolk, so that the embryo proper becomes
distinct from the yolk sac. In this condition, the head of the embryo
projects anteriorly from the yolk sac, the trunks lie over the yolk
and the tail projects behind. The broad connection between the
body and the yolk sac becomes constricted so as to form a stalk.
Blood vessels develop in the wall of the yolk sac. Yolk is digested
by the periblast and supplied to the body through blood vessels.
The yolk sac gradually reduced in size and the embryo grows
indicating the supply of nutrients to the growing embryo. Finally,
on hatching a free swimming larva comes out. During this period
of development, various organs of the body are formed from the
ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. The ectoderm gives rise to the
epidermis and its derivatives like the enamel of the teeth, olfactory
epithelium, lens of the eye and the inner ear.
The neural plate which is also ectodermal in origin and gives rise
to the brain, spinal cord, retina etc.The mesoderm divides into three
parts- dorsal epimere, middle mesomere and ventral hypomere. The
dorsal epimere becomes divided into smites at a very early stage.
Each somite is subdivided into three parts- sclerotone, myotome
and dermatome. The sclerotome collects round the notochord to
form the vertebral column. The myotome gives rise to the muscles
of the trunk, appendicular skeleton, appendages and their muscles.
The dermatome gives rise to the connective tissue and muscles of
the dermis and its derivatives i.e., scales. The middle part of the
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Larval Development
Figure 3: Advanced sac fry.
References
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of reproduction in teleost fish. Gen Comp Endocrinol 165(3): 438-455.
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12. Trudeau VL (1997) Neuroendocrine regulation of gonadotrophin II
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13. Popesku JT, Martyniuk CJ, Mennigen J, Xiong H, Zhang D, et al. (2008) The
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