Changes in putuitary and plasma levels of MSH in teleosts during physiological colour change

• Published in: General and comparative endocrinology Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 142 - 149
• Main Authors: Baker, B I, Wilson, J F, Bowley, T J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.1984
• Subjects: Anguilla; Platichthys; Salmo; Teleostei
• ISSN: 0016-6480

Immunoreactive alpha MSH was measured in the plasma of eels, trout, and flounder, following different periods of adaptation to illuminated white or black backgrounds. In both eels and trout, plasma hormone titres changed rapidly in response to the background color. By contrast, in the flounder, whose pituitary melanotrophs appeared cytologically unresponsive to background change, plasma hormone levels remained similar for fish from black or white tanks following a 3-week adaptation period, but a difference became apparent after nearly 7 weeks adaptation. Similarly, bioactive and immunoreactive levels of MSH in trout pituitary glands usually showed significant changes with black ground color, whereas flounder pituitary levels were unaltered. it is concluded that MSH is involved in physiological color change in eels and trout, but probably not in flounders.