Gonadotropin profiles in serum of milkfish treated with salmon pituitary homogenate

Abstract

Serum gonadotropin (GtH) levels were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in adult regressed milkfish injected or implanted with various doses of salmon pituitary homogenate (SPH). Gonadotropin profiles of injected or implanted milkfish show similar trends. Elevation of serum GtH occurred a day after treatment in all groups irrespective of the administered dose. The level dropped after 2 or 3 days and in the implanted fish, was at the initial level 10 days after treatment. The expected slow and sustained release of hormone from the SPH pellet was not obtained even at the high dose given.

A preliminary investigation of the milkfish pituitary homogenate using the salmon-GtH-RIA system shows no cross reaction of milkfish GtH with salmon GtH antibody, indicating that the milkfish and salmon gonadotropins are immunologically distinct molecules.