Instruments to study the appetite regulatory and hypophysiotropic actions of neuroendoctrine factors in fish

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This application requests funding for the purchase of three instruments, which are very essential for my research program.  Research in my laboratory focuses on how endocrine factors produced from the brain and gut regulate food intake and the secretion of hormones from the pituitary gland that regulate growth and reproduction.  Brain mediates many of the actions of hormones in regulating food intake, growth and reproduction.  Stereotaxic apparatus, one of the equipment to be purchased will be used for the precise administration of gut-brain hormones into specific regions of the fish brain.  In addition, hormones will be injected into the stomach cavity of fish to test its peripheral effects on food intake.  Following central or peripheral injections, an automatic self-feeder, another equipment requested will be used to continuously monitor and quantify feeding behavior and food intake of fish.  The first equipment is necessary to inject peptides into the brain, while the second instrument allows automated monitoring of food intake for prolonged durations without causing stress to fish.  Perifusion apparatus, requested in this application is required to study the direct actions of gut and brain derived hormones on pituitary hormones that regulate growth and reproduction.  Pituitary cells or fragments will be infused with gut and brain-derived hormones and samples will be collected to analyze changes in hormones regulating growth and reproduction.  Collectively, the results of the proposed studies will provide valuable information about how hormones regulate feeding, growth and reproduction.  Our research using fish could be beneficial in aquaculture, to improve the growth and reproduction of cultured fish.  The results could also lead to the identification of novel functions for these hormones, which could benefit biomedical research aimed to develop further studies to improve human health in Canada and the world.  The purchase of these equipment is also expected to help the training of many highly qualified personnel.