Hormonal Coordination of Growth and Reproductive Cycles in a Crustacean: Ecdysteroid and Retinoid Receptors.

甲壳类动物是一组在生态和商业上具有重要意义的生物体，它们在生殖成体阶段继续生长。 人们对这些动物在生殖活动和躯体生长活动之间来回切换的确切生理控制机制知之甚少--这两种活动都是生理上要求很高的过程。 主要研究人员实验室的先前工作表明，生长和繁殖的激素协调是在相同的类固醇激素-蜕皮激素的控制下。 本研究继续进行循环激素的模式和功能的表征以及这些激素的受体的表达和表征的正在进行的计划。长期目标是确定一个共同的激素信号如何同时影响各种离散的生理程序。 此外，更好地了解相同的类固醇激素如何控制雄性和雌性生殖以及壳的脱落，将有助于改善龙虾，虾和螃蟹的商业养殖。该项目还将为学生提供培训和教育机会。

Crustaceans are a group of ecologically and commercially important organisms that continue to grow in size during the reproductive adult stages. Little is known about the exact physiological control mechanisms that allow these animals to switch back and forth between reproductive activity and somatic growth activity - both of which are physiologically demanding processes. Previous work in the laboratories of the principal investigators indicates that the hormonal coordination of growth and reproduction is under the control of the same steroid hormones - the ecdysteroids. This study continues the ongoing program of characterization of the patterns and functions of circulating hormones and the expression and characterization of the receptors for those hormones. The long-term objective is to define how a common hormonal signal can simultaneously influence a variety of discrete physiological programs. Further, a better understanding of how the same steroid hormone (s) control both male and female reproduction plus the shedding of the shell will contribute a great deal to improve the commercial raising of lobsters, shrimps, and crabs. This project will also provide training and educational opportunities for students.