You are here:
EFFECTS OF HANDLING ON ENDOCRINOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)
Citation:
Kahl, M D., K M. Jensen, J J. Korte, AND G T. Ankley. EFFECTS OF HANDLING ON ENDOCRINOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS). JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY. Academic Press, London, Uk, 59:515-523, (2001).
Description:
A short-term (21-d) reproductive toxicity test with the fatheadt minnow (Pimephales promelas) has been proposed as a standard method for identifying certain classes of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). A potentially useful route of chemical exposure for the test is intraperitoneal (ip) injection; however, there exists the potential for adverse effects on reproductive performance caused by the handling associated with this route of exposure. The purpose of this study was to assess whether anaesthesia (with MS-222) followed by ip injection (with an ethanol/corn oil carrier) would adversely affect endocrine parameters and reproductive success in the context of the 21-d fathead minnow reproductive assay. Fish received either one or three (weekly) ip treatments. Neither treatment regime affected survival, behavior, or secondary sexual characteristics of the fish. Fecundity of the fish was not affected by handling, and quality of the gametes, as evidenced by fertility and hatching success, was similarly unaffected. Gonadal condition (relative gonad weight, histopathology) was not altered in either sex. Male and female plasma sex steroid (B-estradiol, testosterone, 11-ketotestosterone) and male vitellogenin concentrations were not significantly affected by the treatments. Females subjected to either ip treatment regime had higher plasma vitellogenin concentrations than untreated females; however, this difference likely was artifactual. Overall, our data indicate that exposure of fathead minnows to chemicals via the ip route should not confound the interpretation of toxicity tests with potential EDCs.