Diversity of appetite regulation system in fish

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Melanin-concentrating hormone(MCH) was first discovered in the pituitary gland of the chum salmon for its role in the regulation of skin pallor. In teleost fish, MCH is synthesized in the hypothalamus, transported to the nerve terminal in the pituitary, released into the blood and makes the body color pale. Currently, MCH is known to be present in the brains of organisms ranging from fish to mammals. MCH has been suggested to be conserved principally as a central neuromodulator or neurotransmitter in the brain. Indeed, MCH is considered to regulate food intake in mammals. Recently, we have demonstrated that MCH stimulates food intake in the pleuronectiform fish, the barfin flounder, by measuring MCH peptide levels in the brain and food consumption. However, interestingly, MCH inhibits food intake in the goldfish. The aim of this research is to clarify the diversity of food intake regulation of teleost fish with special reference to MCH and other neuropeptides.