The blue-headed wrasse is a protogynous sex-changing fish. Individuals can be ca

Question

The blue-headed wrasse is a protogynous sex-changing fish. Individuals can be categorized into initial phase (IP) fish, which are usually female, and terminal phase (TP) fish, which are always male. If a TP male is removed from the reef, the largest IP female will undergo a behavioral and gonadal sex change within a few days to become a TP male. Studies have shown that an individual's gonadal sex depends on its sex steroid profile. Androgens are the predominant hormones produced by the gonads of TP males, whereas estrogens are the predominant hormones produced by the gonads of IP females. If you were to administer the following drugs to an IP female with intact gonads, state whether it would increase, decrease, or have no effect on the probability of the IP female becoming a TP male AND briefly explain

a. Drug that inhibits 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) synthesis

b. Drug that increases the activity of the enzyme aromatase

Explanation / Answer

a. Drug that inhibits 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) synthesis

See generally testosteron inhibits the activity of 11-ketotestosteron. 11-ketotestosterone is acted as an important androgen in additional to testosterone hormone ok. This 11-ketotestosterone can stimulate spermatogenesis and also can develop pituitary gonadotrophic development. So if any drug is given and if that inhibit 11-KT then androgen development may stop and further development can not be occured.

The inhibitory effect on 11-KT has also effect on testis and also in FSH receptor which is present in testis.

b) Drug that increases the activity of the enzyme aromatase

We all know that aromatase is an enzyme which is also known as estrogen synthetase which generally helps in the production of estrogen. so if any drug that increases the activity of that enzyme then obviously the activity of that enzyme will increase and it will give the large amount of the production of estrogen. So it means IP females will be dominent more over TP males so IP female will not becoming a TP male.So the probability will be decreased.aromatase is also responsible for the aromatization of androgen into estrogen which are growth hormones.

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