The Pineal Organ and Circadian Rhythms of Fishes

Kavaliers, Martin

doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-3659-2_25

Cited by 17 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Although vertical migration is normally a diel activity, the evidence presented in this paper suggests that it is not a circadian rhythm according to the criteria of Kavaliers (1979). Vertical migration does not reliably persist in constant conditions, nor is there consistent evidence of a circadian rhythm of sensitivity or responsiveness when tested throughout the 24 hr period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

Photic Behaviour and Vertical Migration in Herring Larvae

Wales

1984

Marine Behaviour and Physiology

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

Photic Behaviour and Vertical Migration in Herring Larvae

Wales

1984

Marine Behaviour and Physiology

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“…Electron microscopic studies have suggested that the pineal organ of teleosts [30], including the catfish, is photoreceptive. Therefore, the pineal organ in fish could potentially be involved in mediating the effects of LD cycles on circadian locomotor activities [24,25,[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]. However, ocular melatonin rhythms in teleost fish, including the Japanese sea catfish, has been reported [40].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circadian locomotor activity in Japanese sea catfish Plotosus lineatus

2008

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To find out whether or not the locomotor activity of the Japanese sea catfish, Plotosus lineatus, shows a circadian rhythmicity, the locomotor activity of this catfish was recorded in a laboratory. All of the catfish recorded (n = 20) showed a nocturnal locomotor activity rhythm under a light-dark (LD) cycle (LD 12:12). The locomotor activity started after the light was turned off, and declined during the period of darkness. In five of the six catfish we examined, locomotor activity shifted gradually over the course of 3-4 days in order to synchronize to the LD cycle after it was advanced by 6 h. Locomotor activity persisted within a constant darkness (DD) in all eight of the catfish. The average free-running period of locomotor activity under DD lasted for 24.2 ± 0.4 h (mean ± SD). Thus, the present results demonstrate that the Japanese sea catfish has an endogenous circadian oscillator entrained by an LD cycle.

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“…In con trast, the chick and lizard pineal organs contain a more or less self-sustained oscillator involved in the control of NAT and melatonin circadian rhythmicities [I, 2, 38, 49]. Al though behavioral studies in fish [34] indicate that the pi neal organ acts on other components of the circadian sys tem, it is still unknown whether it contains or not a circa dian oscillator driving the indolic output. Thus, considering the differences between vertebrates, it is of interest to tackle this problem in anamniotes, in order to better understand the pineal physiology.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…10-12], Among the indoles synthesized in the pineal organ as well as in the retina is melatonin, to which neuroendocrine, autocrine and para crine actions have been ascribed [7,27,36,39,42]. In the pineal organ of nonmammalian vertebrates it has been proposed that this 5-methoxyindole -together with nervous and/or possibly other hormonal outputs -transfers the photoperiodic information to subordinate systems [10,18,34,40,46], The biosynthesis of melatonin from serotonin involves Received: June 10. 1986 Accepted after revision: December 4.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Rhythmic Melatonin Biosynthesis in a Photoreceptive Pineal Organ: A Study in the Pike

et al. 1987

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Activities of pineal N-acetyltransferase (NAT) and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase, involved in the biosynthesis of melatonin from serotonin, were assessed over 24 h in the pineal organ of pikes (Esox lucius, L.; teleosts) entrained to natural (winter) environmental conditions. Only NAT activity exhibited daily changes, rising at the onset of darkness and resuming low values shortly before the end of the scotophase. The rhythm was damped under constant darkness, lower and higher values being shifted towards intermediate ones. NAT activity was lowered under constant light; however, a significant increase was seen at the end of the subjective night, suggesting the existence of a low-amplitude rhythm. Illumination of the pikes at the middle of the scotophase induced inactivation of roughly half of the maximal NAT activity, possibly indicating the existence of one photolabile and one photostable enzymatic component. Under natural conditions, radioassayable melatonin of the pike pineal organ displayed daily variations which paralleled those of NAT activity. Melatonin production thus appears to reflect the daily changes of NAT, synchronized to the light/dark cycle.

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The Pineal Organ and Circadian Rhythms of Fishes

Cited by 17 publications

References 33 publications

Photic Behaviour and Vertical Migration in Herring Larvae

Photic Behaviour and Vertical Migration in Herring Larvae

Circadian locomotor activity in Japanese sea catfish Plotosus lineatus

Rhythmic Melatonin Biosynthesis in a Photoreceptive Pineal Organ: A Study in the Pike

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