G. Echevarria et al., EVOLUTION OF BIOMETRIC INDEXES AND PLASMA METABOLITES DURING PROLONGED STARVATION IN EUROPEAN SEA BASS (DICENTRARCHUS-LABRAX, L), Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Section A: Comparative physiology, 118(1), 1997, pp. 111-123
Citations number
87
Categorie Soggetti
Physiology,Biology
Journal title
Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Section A: Comparative physiology
Taking as criteria plasmatic urea profiles, and percentage losses over
time in weight and in condition factor, the process of starvation (up
to 150 days) in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) divides into
two phases. In the first phase (up to 50 days), there is no variation
in the concentration of urea, the percentage losses in condition fact
or are greater than those in weight, intestinal fats are exhausted, pr
emature involution of gonadal tissue occurs, there is no variation in
the chemical composition of white muscle, and proteinaemia decreases.
In the second phase, there is an increase of 237% in the concentration
of urea, percentage losses in weight predominate over those in the co
ndition factor, the moisture in white muscle increases, while ash redu
ces, and proteinaemia returns to its initial values. Of all the plasma
free amino acids measured, only Arginine falls dramatically during th
e onset of starvation and, after stabilizing, there is the significant
increase in urea mentioned above. Plasma concentration of NH3 remaine
d constant throughout the experimental period. Significant variations
in plasmatic Alanine were not detected. Concentrations of plasma Tauri
ne remained high during the whole of the second phase. (C) 1997 Elsevi
er Science Inc.