GONADAL STEROID EFFECTS ON ANATOMY AND BEHAVIOR

性腺类固醇对解剖和行为的影响：本项目将研究性腺类固醇对非洲海鲈求偶表现结构和行为表达的影响。这是基于早期的研究表明，在女性中，一些雄激素引起的变化（行为）是暂时的，而另一些（骨骼，肌肉）是持久的；接受雄激素治疗的男性可能会变成具有夸张结构特征（骨骼）的“超级男性”。人们可以通过性类固醇操纵来模拟这些鱼类的自然成熟过程，并研究指导结构和行为转变的机制。Mormyrid细胞骨类似于哺乳动物的骨。从mormyrid制剂中获得的有关骨代谢的知识可以使其成为一种有价值的研究工具。雄激素治疗的幼鱼和成年雌性发育出大量肛门鳍骨扩张，这是雄性的特征。这种扩张显然为肌肉组织提供了必要的基质，而肌肉组织反过来又执行了肛鳍反射（形成一个共同的产卵袋）。-整合有机体、细胞和分子水平的分析，这些研究确定(1)性腺类固醇诱导的骨转化的程度（使用x线摄影）和行为（肛鳍反射，电器官放电），(2)解剖(a)肛鳍及其运动神经元控制(b)电器官，(c)性腺(光学显微镜，(b)电器官，(c)性腺（光学显微镜）使用已建立的组织染色技术；(3)利用免疫细胞化学（ICC） BrdU出生测定技术研究雄激素对肛鳍骨、软骨、肌肉和运动神经元细胞出生和/或生长的影响；(4) HRP示踪确定肛鳍反射（脊髓运动神经元池）的控制；(5)使用ICC方法估计与肛鳍反射控制有关的靶体内雄激素受体的密度，(6)确定循环血浆雄激素水平（使用市售检测试剂盒）。以下问题将被解决：(1)骨骼和肌肉大小的增加是如何产生的（细胞出生和/或生长）；(2)鱼类雄激素在调节影响肌肉、骨、软骨和运动神经元池的细胞变化中的作用；(3)雄激素受体在这些结构中的分布情况；(4)为什么在对激素治疗和停药的反应中，性腺类固醇敏感性在某些目标中是灵活的（可塑的），而在其他目标中是刚性的（固定的）；最后，(5)这些问题的答案如何有助于全面理解求爱表现结构和行为的表达。

Gonadal steroid effects on anatomy and behavior: This project will investigate the effects of gonadal steroids on the on the expression of courtship display structures and behavior in African mormyrid fish. It is based on earlier studies that demonstrated in females some androgen- induced changes (behavior) were temporary and others (bone, muscle) long-lasting; androgen-treated males may turn into "supermales" with exaggerated structural traits (bone). -One can mimic natural processes of maturation in these fish through sex steroid manipulation, and study the mechanisms that direct structural and behavioral transformations. Mormyrid cellular bone resembles mammalian bone. Knowledge about bone metabolism derived from the mormyrid preparation can render it a valuable research tool. -Androgen treated juvenile and adult females develop massive anal-fin ray bone expansion, characteristic of males. This expansion apparently provides the necessary substrate for musculature which in turn executes the anal fin reflex (forming a common spawning pouch). -Integrating organismic, cellular, and molecular levels of analysis these studies determine (1) the extent of gonadal steroid- induced transformations of bone (using radiography) and behavior (anal- fin reflex, electric organ discharge), (2) the anatomy of (a) the anal fin and its motoneuronal control (b) the electric organ, and (c) gonads (light microscopy, (b) the electric organ, and (c) gonads (light microscopy) using established tissue staining techniques; (3) androgen effects on cell birth and/or growth of anal-fin bone, cartilage, muscle and motoneurons using immunocytochemical (ICC) BrdU birthdating techniques; (4) HRP tract tracing to determine the control of the anal-fin reflex (spinal cord motoneuronal pools); (5) using ICC methodology to estimate the density of androgen receptors in those targets implicated in the control of anal-fin reflex, and (6) determine the amount of circulating plasma androgen levels (using commercially available test kits). The following questions will be addressed: (1) How does the increase in bone and muscle size come about (cell birth and/or growth); (2) what is the role of the fish's androgens in mediating cellular changes affecting muscle, bone, and cartilage, as well as motoneuronal pools; (3) what is the distribution of androgen receptors in these structures; (4) why, responding to hormone treatment and withdrawal, is gonadal steroid sensitivity flexible (plastic) in some targets and rather rigid (fixed) in others, and finally, (5) how do the answers to these questions contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the expression of courtship display structures and behavior.