Endocrine Control of Fish Reproduction

繁殖是一个复杂的过程，需要激素和生长因子等各种信号分子的精确控制。雌性生殖中的一个关键事件是卵母细胞的生长(大小增加)，并将其成熟为受精卵。我的NSERC资助的研究项目的总体目标是确定脑下垂体产生的激素如何与卵巢产生的激素和生长因子一起调节卵母细胞的发育。我们发现转化生长因子-β家族中的几个成员调控斑马鱼卵巢中的卵母细胞成熟。最近，我们描述了在卵巢中介导这些生长因子影响的关键细胞通路。此外，我们还发现转化生长因子-β家族的其他成员Nodal-Related 1(Ndr1)和NDR2，以及一组称为microRNAs的小RNA，是卵母细胞生长和成熟的潜在调节因子。在接下来的五年里，我们将继续以斑马鱼为模型，研究激素、生长因子和microRNAs的整合功能如何调控卵母细胞的生长和成熟。

Reproduction is a complex process that requires precise control by various signaling molecules, such as hormones and growth factors. A key event in female reproduction is the growth of oocytes (increase in size) and their maturation into fertilizable eggs. The overall goal of my NSERC-funded research program is to determine how hormones produced from the pituitary gland work with hormones and growth factors produced within the ovary to regulate oocyte development. We showed that several members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family regulate oocyte maturation in the zebrafish ovary. More recently, we described key cellular pathways that mediate the effects of these growth factors in the ovary. In addition, we have identified additional members of the TGF-beta family, Nodal-related 1 (Ndr1) and Ndr2, and a group of small RNAs, named microRNAs, as potential regulators of oocyte growth and maturation. In the next five years, we will continue to use zebrafish as a model to study how oocyte growth and maturation are regulated by integrative functioning of hormones, growth factors and microRNAs.