Fish reproductive pheromones prostaglandins

In fish reproduction, the best-investigated pheromone system is that of the goldfish [Carassius auratus). Here, sex steroids and prostaglandins play important roles. The female produces two pheromones sequentially a preovulatory primer pheromone and a postovulatory prostaglandin pheromone that act on the male. 

Interestingly, although fish reproductive lifestyles are highly diverse, the steroids and F prostaglandins (PGFs) from which hormonal pheromones are derived appear highly conserved. For example, in all fish examined, estradiol-17p (E2) induces vitellogenesis... 

Appelt, C.W., Sorensen, P.W., Kellner, R.G. 1995. Female goldfish appear to release pheromonally-active F-prostaglandins in urinary pulses. In Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology of Fish (Ed. by F.W. Goetz P. Thomas, p. 270. Austin Fish Symposium 95. 

Sorenson, P.W. and Goetz, F.W. (1993) Pheromonal and reproductive function of F prostaglandins and their metabolites in teleost fish. J. Lipid Mediators 6,385-393... 

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