Suppression of osteoclastic activities by calcitonin in the scales of goldfish (freshwater teleost) and nibbler fish (seawater teleost)

Using a tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) activity, the effects of calcitonin (CT) and estradiol-17β(E 2) on osteoclastic activities in cultured scales of goldfish (freshwater fish) and nibbler fish (seawater fish) were examined. In mature male and female goldfish, scales were collected and incubated in Earle’s minimun essential medium (MEM) supplemented with either CT (100 ng/ml) or E 2 (100 ng/ml). In both sexes, CT suppressed TRACP activities in the scales, whereas E 2 increased them. When CT (100 ng/ml) and E 2 (100 ng/ml) were added simultaneously to MEM, TRACP activities in the scales did not change as compared with the control. Similar results were obtained with the scales of female nibbler fish. In goldfish, furthermore, the activation of scale TRACP by E 2 was suppressed, depending on CT concentrations (100 pg/ml to 1 μg/ml). In fish reproduction, this function of CT may be useful to protect scales from excess degradation of calcium at vitellogenesis.