Synopsis
The ef fects of exposure to constant darkness, anopsia and pinealectomy on pituitary prolactin levels in the goldfish were examined. Determination of prolactin was made in a polyacrylamide microelectrophoretic system coupled with densitometry. Neither pinealectomy nor anopsia had an effect on pituitary prolactin content in the fall. Exposure to constant darkness in the fall was without obvious effect, whereas such treatment in the spring resulted in significantly elevated pituitary prolactin content. Pinealectomy in the spring did not alter pituitary content, suggesting that the response to constant darkness is independent of the pineal organ, perhaps involving retinal or extra-retinal photoreception.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References cited
Been, A. C. & E. M. Rasch. 1972. A vertical microsystem for discontinuous electrophoresis of insect tissue proteins using thin sheets of polyacrylamide gel. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 20: 368–384.
Chéze, G. & M. A. Ali. 1976. Role de l'epiphyse dans la migration du pigment épithelial retinien chez quelques Téléostéens. Can. J. Zool. 54: 475–481.
Delahunty, G., J. Olcese, M. Prack, M. J. Vodicnik, C. B. Schreck, & V. L. de Vlaming. 1978a. Diurnal variations in the physiology of the goldfish,Carassius auratus L. J. Interdiscl. Cycle Res. 9: 73–88.
Delahunty, G., G. Bauer, M. Prack, & V. de Vlarning. 1978b. Effects of pinealectomy and melatonin treatment on liver and plasma metabolites in the goldfish.Caeassius auratus. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 35: 99–109.
De Vlaming, V. L. 1975. Effects of pinealectomy on gonadal activity in the cyprinid teleost,Notemigonus crysoleucas. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 26: 36–49.
De Vlaming, V. L. & M. J. Vodicnik. 1978. Seasonal effects of pinealectomy on gonadal activity in the goldfish,Garassius auratus. Biol. Reprod. 19: 57–63.
Erikson, L.-O. 1972. Tagespriodik geblendeter Bachsaiblinge. Naturwissenschaften 59: 219–220.
Jacobson, C. D. & D. R. Mann. 1978. Influences of the, pineal and adrenal glands on the proestrous release of hormones in rats maintained in a reduced photoperiod. Biol. Reprod. 17: 712–718.
Kizer, J. S., J. A. Zivin, D. M. Jacobowitz, & I. J. Kopin. 1975. The nyctohemeral rhythm of plasma prolactin: Effects of ganglionectomy, pinealectomy, constant light, constant darkness or 6-OH-dopamine administration, Endocrinology 96: 1230–1240.
Leatherland, J. F. & B. A. McKeown. 1973. Circadian rhythm in the plasma levels of prolactin in the goldfish,Carassius auratus L. J. Interdiscl. Cycle Res. 4: 137–143.
Leatherland, J. F., B. A. McKeown, & T. M. John. 1974. Circadian rhythm of plasma prolactin, growth hormone, glucose and free fatty acid in juvenile kokanee salmon,Oncorhynchus nerka. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 47: 821–828.
Lincoln, G. A., A. S. McNeilly, & C. L. Cameron. 1978. The effects of a sudden decrease or increase in daylength on prolactin secretion in the ram. J. Reprod. Fert. 52: 305–311.
McKeown, B. A. & R. E. Peter. 1976. The effects of photoperiod and temperature on the release of prolactin from the pituitary gland of the goldfish,Carassius auratus. Can. J. Zool. 54: 1960–1968.
Olcese, J. & V. L. de Vlaming. 1977. Possible pineal organ involvement in the control of hypothalamic monoamine oxidase activity in the goldfish. Amer. Zool. 17: 875.
Reiter, R. J. 1975. Changes in pituitary prolactin levels of female hamsters as a function of age, photoperiod, and pinealectomy. Acta Endocrinol. 79: 43–50.
Reiter, R. J. 1977. The Pineal — 1977. Eden Press, Montreal. 184 pp.
Relkin, R., M. Adachi, & S. A. Kahan. 1972. Effects of pinealectomy and constant light and darkness on prolactin levels in the pituitary and plasma and on pituitary ultrastructure of the rat. J. Endocrinol. 54: 263–268.
Rønnekleiv, O. K. & S. M. McCann. 1975. Effects of pinealectomy, anosmia, and blinding on serum and pituitary prolactin in intact and castrated male rats. Neuroendocrinology. 17: 340–353.
Sage, M. & V. L. de Vlaming. 1973. A diurnal rhythm in hormone effectiveness and in pituitary content of prolactin inFundulus similis. Tex. Rep. Biol. Med. 31: 101–102.
Spieler, R. E. 1975. Circadian and circannual serum prolactin levels in some estuarine fishes: endocrinological, ecological, and maricultural implicatinos. Ph.D. thesis, Louisiana State University, 59 pp.
Siegel, S. 1956. Nonparametric Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences. McGraw-Hill, New York. 312 pp Urasaki, H. 1976. The role of the pineal and eyes in the photoperiodic effect on the gonad of the medaka,Oryzias latipes. Chronobiologia 3: 228–234.
Van Veen, Th., H. G. Hartwig, & K. Müller. 1976. Light-dependent motor activity and photonegative behavior in the eel (Anguilla anguilla L.). Evidence for extraretinal and extrapineal photoreception. J. Comp. Physiol. 111: 209–219.
Vaughan, M. K., J. C. Little, L. Y. Jehnsen, D. E. Blask, G. M. Vaughan, & R. J. Reiter. 1978. Effects of melatonin and natural and synthetic analogues of arginine vasotocin on plasma prolactin levels in adult male rats. Hormone Res. 9: 236–246.
Vodicnik, M. J. & V. L. de Vlaming. 1978. The effects of pinealectomy on pituitary prolactin levels inCarassius auratus exposed to various photoperiod-temperature regimes. Endocr. Res. Comm. 5: 199–210.
Vodicnik, M. J., B. A. McKeown, & V. L. de Vlaming. 1979. Microelectrophoretic identification of pituitary prolactin inCarassius auratus. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 36: 402–407.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Olcese, J., Vodicnik, M.J., Delahunty, G. et al. Does pinealectomy, anopsia or exposure to constant darkness affect pituitary prolactin levels in the goldfish,Carassius auratus L.?. Environ Biol Fish 4, 379–382 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005527
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005527