Teleosts clearly have a more diffuse gut associated lymphoid system, which is morphological and functional clearly different from the mammalian GALT. All immune cells necessary for a local immune response are abundantly present in the gut mucosa of the species studied and local immune responses can be monitored after intestinal immunization. Fish do not produce IgA, but a special mucosal IgM is...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulators involved in nearly all known biological processes in distant eukaryotic clades. Their discovery and functional characterization have broadened our understanding of biological regulatory mechanisms in animals and plants. They show both evolutionary conserved and unique features across Metazoa. Here, we present the current ...

Studies of the sodium, chloride and water balance of Xiphister atropurpureus (Evans, 1967 a-c) showed that this intertidal teleost is relatively impermeable to these ions and to water, has an exchange-diffusion system for sodium only, and apparently lowers its permeability to sodium but not to chloride or water when acclimated to a lower salinity. An investigation of the intertidal teleost, Pho...

The current knowledge about teleost fish egg envelope is summarized. The paper analyzes the organization and deposition process of the protein composition and genes involved in the synthesis of teleost fish egg envelopes and their role in gamete interaction during fertilization. Pelagic and demersal species that our research group is working with are especially considered. The vertebrate ZP fam...

The insulin-like growth factor (Igf) binding protein (Igfbp) family has a broad range of physiological functions and a fascinating evolutionary history. This review focuses on the Igfbps of teleost fishes, where genome duplication events have diversified gene repertoire, function, and physiological regulation-with six core Igfbps expanded into a family of over twenty genes in some lineages. In ...

Stress and reproduction are both essential functions for vertebrate survival, ensuring on one side adaptative responses to environmental changes potential life threats, the other production of progeny. With more than 25,000 species, teleosts constitute largest group extant vertebrates, exhibit a large diversity cycles, conditions regulatory processes. Interactions between stress growing concern...