Confirmation of ovarian homogeneity in post-vitellogenic cultured white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus

• Published in: Fish physiology and biochemistry Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Talbott, Mariah J, Servid, Sarah A, Cavinato, Anna G, Van Eenennaam, Joel P, Doroshov, Serge I, Struffenegger, Peter, Webb, Molly A.H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01.02.2014; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acipenser; Acipenser transmontanus; Animal Anatomy; Animal Biochemistry; Animal Physiology; Animals; Aquaculture; Bats; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Polarity - physiology; Cells, Cultured; Female; Females; fish roe; Fishes; Follicles; Fourier transforms; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Histology; Infrared spectroscopy; Life Sciences; Morphology; near-infrared spectroscopy; oocytes; Oocytes - physiology; Ovarian Follicle - cytology; Ovarian Follicle - physiology; ovarian follicles; Ovaries; Ovary - cytology; Ovary - physiology; Spawning; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; Sturgeon; Variance analysis; Vitellogenesis - physiology; Vitellogenins - biosynthesis; Zoology; United States > US; Homogenous oocyte polarization index; Sturgeon; Ovarian follicle diameter; Synchronous ovarian development; SW-NIR spectroscopy; Spawning readiness
• ISSN: 0920-1742; 1573-5168
• DOI: 10.1007/s10695-013-9774-x

Assessing stage of oocyte maturity in female sturgeon by calculating oocyte polarization index (PI) is a necessary tool for both conservation propagation managers and caviar producers to know when to hormonally induce spawning. We tested the assumption that sampling ovarian follicles from one section of one ovary is sufficient for calculating an oocyte PI representative of oocyte maturity for an individual animal. Short-wavelength near-infrared spectroscopy (SW-NIR) scans were performed on three positions per ovary for five fish prior to caviar harvest. Samples of ovarian follicles were subsequently taken from the exact location of the SW-NIR scans for calculation of oocyte PI and follicle diameter. Oocyte PI was statistically different though not biologically relevant within an ovary and between ovaries in four of five fish. Follicle diameter was statistically different but not biologically relevant within an ovary in three of five fish. There were no differences in follicle diameter between ovaries. No statistical differences were observed between SW-NIR spectra collected at different locations within an ovary or between ovaries. These results emphasize the importance of utilizing both oocyte PI measurement and progesterone-induced oocyte maturation assays while deciding when to hormonally induce spawning in sturgeon females.