STEROID HORMONE IN SERUM OF MALE MUGIL CEPHALUS FROM LAKE QUARON IN RELATION TO ULTRASTRUCTURE OF STEROIDOGENIC SECRETING TISSUE

STEROID HORMONE IN SERUM OF MALE MUGIL CEPHALUS
FROM LAKE QUARON IN RELATION TO ULTRASTRUCTURE
OF STEROIDOGENIC SECRETING TISSUE
EL-GHARABAWY, M.M.; FAHMY*, A.F. AND ASSEM,S.S.
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries,Kayet Bay, Alex. Egypt.
[email protected]
Keywords: Steroid hormone- Ultrastructure- Steroidogenic secreting tissue
ABSTRACT

The grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) is one of the most common fish species in the
Mediterranean Sea. Morphological and histological studies on testes of this species indicate
six successive maturity stages. The specific changes in serum sex hormone levels were
found to occur during the different phases of gonadal development. Concentration of serum
steroid hormone in male Mugil cephalus revealed a marked drop in serum steroid (estradiol
and testosterone) hormone levels in nearly ripe stage when compared with ripe stage, while
the concentration of estradiol, testosterone and progesterone at late stage (ripe stage) of
sexual maturity was increased. Histological examination and cyclic change in the testes
were revealed of active spermatogenesis with all generations in the early stages of testicular
development. Nearly ripe testes showed more active spermatogenesis, nests of
spermatocytes and small number of spermatids. While at ripe stage, the seminiferous
lobules contained a fair quantity of spermatozoa with little spermatids. Ultra-structural
examination showed well differentiated interlobular connective tissues which noticed at
early stages. In nearly ripe stage, the fine structure revealed that early spermatids have
round shaped vacuolized cells, a spherical nucleus with diffuse chromatin and without
mitochondria. At this stage the interlobular connective tissue were hypertrophied, increase
in thickness and filled with abnormal fibers. The abnormal shape of interlobular tissue was
observed. Ultra-structurally, all the spermatozoa cells were deformed in shape,
characterized by small ovoid or spherical nucleus with highly compact chromatin,
surrounded by thick tissue appeared with two deformed mitochondria. In the present result,
the concentration of steroid hormone in Mugil cephalus in Lake Quaron was highly
correlated with the dysfunction of gonadal hormone, maturation of gametes and considered
as good sign of infertility and shortage in secretion function of these tissues may be due to
unsuitable environmental condition in Lake Quaron needed for spawning of male.