] i oscillations by increasing the frequency, base line, and duration of Ca 2؉ spiking. In addition, ATP stimulated gonadotropin secretion and enhanced agonist-induced gonadotropin release. ATP was found to be secreted by pituitary cells during agonist stimulation and was promptly degraded by ectonucleotidase to adenosine. These observations indicate that ATP represents a paracrine/autocrine factor in the regulation of Ca 2؉ signaling and secretion in gonadotrophs, and that these actions are mediated by P 2 receptor channels.

The intracellular signal transduction mechanisms mediating maturational gonadotropin and somatotropin secretion in goldfish are reviewed. Several major signaling mechanisms, including changes in intracellular [Ca2+], arachidonic acid cascades, protein kinase C, cyclic AMP/protein kinase A, calmodulin, nitric oxide, and Na+/H+ antiport, are functional in both cell types. However, their relative importance in mediating basal secretion and neuroendocrine-factor-regulated hormone release differs according to cell type. Similarly, agonist- and cell-type-specificity are also present in the transduction pathways leading to neuroendocrine factor-modulated maturational gonadotropin and somatotropin release. Specificity is present not only in the actions of different regulators within the same cell type and with the same ligand in the two cell types, but this also exists between isoforms of the same neuroendocrine factor within a single cell type. Other evidence suggests that function-selectivity of signaling may also result from differential modulation of Ca2+ fluxes from different sources. The interaction of different second messenger systems provide the basis by which regulation of maturational gonadotropin and somatotropin release by multiple neuroendocrine factors can be integrated at the target cell level.

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In goldfish, maturational gonadotropin (GTH) and growth hormone (GH) release are stimulated by two native GTH-releasing hormones (sGnRH and cGnRH-II). Both GnRHs stimulate GTH and GH release via activation of phospholipase C, protein kinase C, Ca²⁺ entry through voltage-sensitive channels and calmodulin. However, sGnRH-induced GTH release also involves arachidonic acid and intracellular Ca²⁺ components absent from its action on GH, as well as from cGnRH-II action on GTH and GH secretion. The relative roles and interactions of these signaling pathways in mediating sGnRH and cGnRH-II action on acute and prolonged GTH and GH release are compared. How two GnRHs bind to similar receptors but induce similar and dissimilar transduction mechanisms in two cell types and within one cell type is unknown.