Sex steroids and oocyte maturation in the sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus L.)

Sturgeon oocytes, like those of other vertebrates, are arrested in early meiosis and require a steroid or steroids to trigger meiosis resumption or maturation. The identity of the maturation-inducing steroid in sturgeons has present study was designed to investigate in sterlet the follicular secretion and relative blond changes of free and conjugated 17,20'P, 20'S and of the androgens T, 11KT, in response to hormonal treatment and to determine the relative potencies of the progestagens, 17,20'-P, 20'S, P4 and S, in inducing oocyte final maturation in vitro.