Figure 1
Characterization of juvenile white sturgeon A. transmontanus to determine the optimal donor age. Biometric parameters (mean ± SEM) including (a) body weight, (b) fork length, and (c) gonad mass. From these findings, the preferred age of donor gonadal tissue is 18–30 months and is marked in grey in (a, b, c). Histological examination of (d) 18 month-old testis shows populations of spermatogonia (yellow arrows) and Sertoli cells with no observable mature sperm remained; a consistent finding with all ages of males. Histological examination at 18 month-old female (e) shows nests of oogonia (dashed circle), however, at 36 months (f), the population of primary oocytes (yellow arrows) is more abundant. Scale bars for (d, e, f) are at the bottom right of each image and represent 20 µm, 50 µm, and 50 µm, respectively.
