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Myelinogenic cycle and myelination status of the brain of the catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis
Author(s) -
Yusuf Harun K.M.,
Islam M. Sayedul
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/0736-5748(84)90069-8
Subject(s) - heteropneustes fossilis , galactolipids , catfish , endocrinology , medicine , cholesterol , biology , fish <actinopterygii> , zoology , chemistry , biochemistry , chloroplast , fishery , gene
The lipid composition of the brain of the catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) was studied over the age period of 2–12 months, during which time the body weight increased from 2.5 to 33 g. The brain weight increased from 28 to 84 mg between 2 and 9 months of age, with a further increase of only 7 mg during the following three months. The concentration of cholesterol increased slowly up to 5 months of age, from which time the concentration began to increase rapidly and attained adult values at 8 months. The concentration of total lipid‐P increased steadily up to the age of 7 months and remained almost constant thereafter. In contrast, there was very little increase in the concentration of the galactolipids (cerebroside + sulphatide) until month 5, after which the concentration increased rapidly to reach the adult level at 8 months of age. The concentration of cholesterol esters decreased during development; however, there occurred a transient rise at 5 months of age, which continued up to 8 months. These data indicate that the period between months 5 and 8 is one of active myelination in the brain of this species. The mole ratio of cholesterol, phospholipids, and galactolipids in the adult fish brain was 31:53:1, much higher than that in adult mammalian brain. Moreover, within the phospholipids, ethanolamine phosphoglyceride comprised < 10%, as against the corresponding value in the mammals of about 40%. These data therefore suggest a low level of myelination in the brain of catfish, as compared to that in higher species.