Actualmente es estudiante de doctorado en el Programa de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto de Biociencias de Botucatu de la UNESP (Universidad Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho), bajo la dirección del Profesor Dr. Alexandre Ninhaus Silveira, y se encuentra en la UPV para acabar su tesis doctoral en la modalidad de cotutela según el convenio firmado entre ambas universidades. Su estancia inicialmente está prevista por un año académico y está financiada por la agencia gubernamental (CAPES) y la Asociación Universitaria Iberoamericana de Postgrado (AUIP).
“En la UPV pretendo realizar parte de mi proyecto de tesis doctoral titulada: Influencia del plasma seminal en la criopreservación de semen de Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum”, mediante la aplicación de sistemas ASMA para evaluación morfológica de los espermatozoides de la especie. Así como participar en los proyectos del Laboratorio de Reproducción de Peces para profundizar en técnicas de evaluación seminal (ISAS-CASA) y en protocolos de criopreservación de esperma de especies marinas".
Characterisation of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) spermatozoa morphometry using Trumorph tool in fixed and non-fixed samples
C. Caldeira, S. Hernández-Ibánez, A. Vendrell, A. Valverde, A. García-Molina, V. Gallego, J.F. Asturiano, C. Soler
Abstract: Currently, the techniques used to analyse fish spermatozoa head morphology are not only subjective and time-consuming, but also, variable due to alteration of real spermatozoa size during sample manipulation. Thereby, it is important to develop a new method to obtain accurate and objective results. So far, computer-assisted systems for morphometry analysis were developed and validated for mammals, although they could also be adapted to fish spermatozoa. The present study aimed to characterise the European eel spermatozoa morphometry, comparing the measurements (area and perimeter) obtained by computer-assisted spermatozoa between pre-treated or non-treated eel sperm samples (n = 5) with fixation solution. In both protocols, the TruMorph® tool was used to apply a constant force to extend the cells in a thin layer. Images of spermatozoa were captured using a 40x negative phase contrast objective and analysed with the ISASv1 CASA-Morph system. Sperm head morphometry showed significant differences in area and perimeter comparing both protocols. Besides, the head size analysis using TruMorphâ without fixation along time showed that the sperm membrane remains intact with the use of this technique, preserving the semipermeable condition. Considering the fact that fixation solution produces dehydration/hydration that could affect the real spermatozoa size, the simple use of TruMorph® without fixation combined with CASA-Morph analysis could allow more realistic measurements of eel spermatozoa head.
Thales França es el nuevo estudiante de doctorado en nuestro grupo de investigación. Es brasileño, tiene una Licenciatura en Ingeniería Animal (Universidade Federal de Lavras), una Maestría en Ingeniería Animal (Universidade Federal de Lavras) y es estudiante de doctorado en Ingeniería Animal (Universidade Federal de Rio Grande do Sul) bajo la dirección del Profesor Dr. Danilo Pedro Streit Jr. Ha venido a Valencia para realizar parte de su doctorado en la modalidad de cotutela en la UPV, financiado por el Gobierno de Brasil (CNPq), e inicialmente estará con nosotros durante 12 meses.
La investigación de Thales consistirá em
la optimización de los protocolos de criopreservación del esperma de anguila europea,
Anguilla anguilla, para tratar de reducir el daño causado por este proceso
en los espermatozoides.
“Es un placer para mí formar parte del
equipo, espero que sea un momento de gran aprendizaje y avance de esta técnica
tan importante para la conservación ambiental de esta especie.”
Using osmotic pumps to induce the production of gametes in male and female European eels
M. Blanes-García, P. García-Salinas, M. Morini, L. Pérez, J.F. Asturiano, V. Gallego
Abstract
The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a commercially valued species for aquaculture. Over the past decades, it has experienced a drastic reduction in its natural stocks. Thus, breeding in captivity is considered essential, nowadays, to guarantee the eel aquaculture and to reduce pressure on natural populations. Traditionally, the European eel has been sexually matured by means of weekly hormonal injections, which cause stress to the fish. The purpose of this research study was to assess the use of osmotic pumps as a new method to induce sexual maturation in male and female European eels, without the weekly injection. The control groups were treated with weekly hormone injections (recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin for males and carp pituitary extract for females), and the implanted groups were treated with osmotic pumps (ALZET® osmotic pumps) loaded with the respective hormones. Regarding male European eels, this study shows that the use of controlled release systems was able to induce the maturation and spermiation, but without the necessary capacity to produce enough gametes with acceptable quality parameters that could meet the needs of a commercial eel hatchery. Concerning female European eels, the study demonstrates that the use of osmotic pumps loaded with CPE became an effective method, generating early maturations (4 to 10 weeks) in 50% of the females, so this method could become a viable alternative for eel hatchery procedures.
Animals 12: 387
doi:
10.3390/ani12030387
Así se titula el trabajo que hemos publicado (J.F. Asturiano, V. Gallego) en la sección “Ecopics” de la revista Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment (Volumen 20(1); página 30; doi: 10.1002/fee.2460).
En él se describe el curioso comportamiento reproductivo del pez globo (Takifugu alboplumbeus), en el que la fertilización de los huevos se produce fuera del agua. Para ilustrarlo se muestran dos fotos realizadas en la Arai Beach, durante una estancia en la Misaki Marine Biological Station (Miura, Japón).
