We just published a new paper in Scientific Data entitled An RNA-seq time series of the medaka pituitary gland during sexual maturation. Led by Christiaan Henkel, an excelent bioinformatician in the group, this work describes the use of a RNA-Sequencing time series of the pituitary tissue to study its developmental dynamics in the model fish medaka.
Abstract: Directing both organismal homeostasis and physiological adaptation, the pituitary is a key endocrine gland in all vertebrates. One of its major tasks is to coordinate sexual maturation through the production and release of hormones stimulating gonad development. In order to study its developmental dynamics in the model fish medaka (Oryzias latipes), we sampled both the pituitary and the ovaries of 68 female fish. Of these, 55 spanned the entire course of sexual maturation from prepubertal juveniles to spawning adults. An additional 13 showed either considerably faster or slower growth and development than the majority of fish. We used histological examination of the ovaries to determine a histological maturation stage, and analyzed the pituitary glands using RNA-seq optimized for low input. Taken together, these data reveal the timing of hormone production priorities, and form a comprehensive resource for the study of their regulation.
More info on the study in the open access article: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-01967-w
