The Journal of experimental biologyJan 19, 2020

Arachidonic acid and prostaglandins trigger egg yolk production and hormone synthesis in two edible crabs

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 19, 2026

Abstract

Arachidonic acid and prostaglandins significantly increased ovarian index, oocyte diameter, and vitellogenin levels in crabs.

Administration of arachidonic acid and prostaglandins F and E enhanced ecdysteroid and methyl farnesoate levels in crab hemolymph.
Higher secretion of methyl farnesoate and ecdysteroids was observed in cultured mandibular and Y-organs from crabs injected with these compounds.
Prostaglandin D did not affect vitellogenesis or ecdysteroid and methyl farnesoate levels in circulation.
Methyl farnesoate secretion from mandibular organ explants increased over time when incubated with arachidonic acid, PGF, and PGE.
Incubation of Y-organs from avitellogenic crabs with these prostaglandins did not influence ecdysteroid secretion.

Simplified

The present study investigated the effect of arachidonic acid (AA) and selected prostaglandins on the regulation of vitellogenesis, ecdysteroidogenesis and methyl farnesoate (MF) synthesis in the freshwater craband the giant mud crab,Administration of AA and prostaglandin F(PGF) and prostaglandin E(PGE) significantly increased ovarian index, oocyte diameter and ovarian vitellogenin levels and ecdysteroid and MF levels in the hemolymph of crabs. Secretions of MF and ecdysteroids fromcultured mandibular organs (MO) and Y-organs (YO) isolated from intermolt crabs injected with AA, PGFand PGEwere greater when compared with controls. In contrast, injection of prostaglandin D(PGD) had no effect on vitellogenesis, ecdysteroid and MF levels in circulation.secretion of MF from MO explants isolated from avitellogenic crabs incubated with AA, PGFand PGEincreased in a time-dependent manner. Conversely, incubation of YOs isolated from avitellogenic crabs with AA, PGFand PGEhad no effect on secretion of ecdsyteroids. These results implicate prostaglandins in the regulation of reproduction by inducing the synthesis of MF and consequent ecdysteroid synthesis in brachyuran crabs, and provide an alternative molecular intervention mechanism to the traditional eyestalk ablation methodology to induce vitellogenesis and ovarian maturation in crustaceans. Oziotelphusa senex senex Scylla serrata in vitro In vitro2α 2α 2 2 2α 2 2 2 2α 2 2α 2

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Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing or financial interests.

PubMed

Arachidonic acid and prostaglandins trigger egg yolk production and hormone synthesis in two edible crabs

Abstract

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Funding

Competing interests

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