Steroid hormone biosynthesis is critically regulated by steroidogenic enzyme genes through a cascade mechanism (see Schulz et al., 2010). It is well known that hCG is a functional analog of
Fig. 2. Relative expression of several steroidogenic enzyme and transcription factor genes involved in testicular development of catfish, C. batrachus (A and B) and C. gariepinus (C and D) in the saline- and hCG-treated group determined using qPCR. The relative expression was normalized with 18S rRNA and the values were calculated using comparative Ct method. Data (n = 5) were expressed as mean ± SEM (*P < 0.05/0.01/0.001; ANOVA followed by Student-Newman-Keuls’ post hoc test).
Fig. 3. Relative expression of steroidogenic enzyme (A), signaling molecule and transcription factor/nuclear receptor (B) genes in the saline- and hCG-treated catfish, C.
batrachus, determined using qPCR. Other details are as in the Fig. 2.