Changes in the biochemical composition of the ovaries of the sea star asterias rubens during its annual reproductive cycle
Oudejans, R.C.H.M.; Van Der Sluis, I.
Marine Biology (Berlin) 50(3): 255-262
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-3162 Accession: 004912981
The biochemical composition of the ovaries of the asteroid echinoderm A. rubens was studied, with emphasis on the changes which are manifest during the annual reproductive cycle. Ovarian dry weight displays only minor changes during ovarian development, constituting about 20% of the organ fresh weight. Levels of all constituents show some variation, but in general increase with ovarian growth. Only the free amino acid level is rather constant. Except for glycogen, the contents of other constituents (total lipids, other reducing sugars, free amino acids and proteins) show a rectilinear increase with ovarian growth. Glycogen content increases rectilinearly with time during early vitellogenesis, but remains constant during further development until ovarian maturity. By plotting constituent levels and contents against a non-linear gonad index axis rather than against sampling date, results can be correlated more easily with ovarian growth stages. The possibility of endocytosis of a vitellogenin-like yolk precursor by the ovary is discussed.