Free Plasma Estrogens in the Channel Catfish.

Abstract

Isolation of free plasma estrogens from blood and ovaries of the Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, led to identification of 16-ketoestradiol, estriol, epiestriol, estrone, estradiol-17α and estradiol-17β. It was found that as the ovary increases in weight at 1–3 weeks before spawning, there is a gradual increase for all free plasma estrogens. In order of their increasing concentration, in μg/100 ml of plasma, the free plasma estrogens were found to be: estradiol-17α, estrone, estradiol-17β, epiestriol, estriol and 16-ketoestradiol.