Éditeur(s) : Elsevier
Résumé : Marine fish larvae undergo major morphological and cellular changes during the first month of life. The ontogeny of the gastrointestinal tract combines these two aspects of the larval development and is very interesting in that the timing of functional changes appears genetically hard-wired. The goal of this paper is to give an overview of the gastrointestinal development process in marine fish larvae, with particular attention to three species: sea bass; red drum; and sole, since the description of gut maturation in fish larvae was initiated during the last decade with these species. During the early stages, marine fish larvae exhibit particular digestive features. Concerning the exocrine pancreas, amylase expression decreases with age from the third week post-hatching in sea bass and red drum (approximately 400 degree days), whereas expression of other enzymes (trypsin, lipase, phospholipase A2...) increases until the end of the larva period. Moreover, secretory function of the exocrine pancreas progressively develops and becomes efficient after the third week of life. Concerning the intestine, enzymes of the enterocyte cytosol (in particular peptidase) have higher activity in young larvae than in older. Approximately in the fourth week of post-hatching development in sea bass, red drum and sole larvae, the cytosolic activities dramatically decline concurrently with a sharp increase in membranous enzyme activities of the brush border, such as alkaline phosphatase, aminopeptidase N, maltase... This process characterises the normal maturation of enterocytes in developing fish larvae and also in other vertebrates' species. The establishment of an efficient brush border membrane digestion represents the adult mode of digestion of enterocytes. This paper also describes the role of diet on the development of the gastrointestinal tract. Indeed, the maturational process of digestive enzyme can be enhanced, stopped, or delayed depending on the composition of the diet.
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology & Pharmacology (1532-0456) (Elsevier), 2001-12 , Vol. 130 , N. 4 , P. 477-487

Droits : 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2001/publication-650.pdf
DOI:10.1016/S1532-0456(01)00274-5
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/650/

Éditeur(s) : Elsevier
Résumé : Red drum larvae were fed from day 11 to day 24 post-hatch, with Artemia (LP group) or two isoproteinic-formulated diets with varying lipid levels, 15% (L15 group) and 30% (L30 group). The lipid fraction was composed of a mixture of cod liver oil and soy lecithin. Larvae fed Artemia exhibited the greatest length, L30 diet induced a larvae length significantly greater than that obtained with L15 diet (P < 0,05). No difference was observed in larvae survival among the three dietary groups. The increase in dietary lipid concentration led to an increase in amylase and trypsin secretion levels in 24-day-old larvae. The pancreatic secretion level measured in L30 group was close to that of LP group, suggesting that the maturation of the pancreatic functions was normally developed. Red drum larvae fed the diet containing the higher lipid content (L30) exhibited a more developed brush border membrane digestion in the intestine than larvae fed L15 diet (P < 0.05). Phospholipase A2 was stimulated by the increase of phospholipids in the diet, but no difference was observed for lipase between the two compound diet-fed groups; the LP group exhibited the lowest lipase activity. A plateau in lipase activity may have occurred in red drum larvae from 15% fat level in the diet, suggesting that the maximal lipase activity was reached with 12% neutral lipid in the diet. The positive effects observed with high dietary fat may be due to the phospholipid fraction of the lipid mixture used.
Aquaculture (0044-8486) (Elsevier), 2000-04 , Vol. 184 , N. 3-4 , P. 339-347

Droits : 2000 Elsevier
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2000/publication-503.pdf
DOI:10.1016/S0044-8486(99)00325-7
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/503/

Éditeur(s) : Elsevier
Résumé : Until recently, it was considered impossible to feed newly hatched marine fish species with a compound diet. Substituting a compound diet for live prey was performed several weeks after hatching, depending on the species. Compound diets were well ingested at the early stage but larvae died with a gut full of food, suggesting that larvae were unable to digest the compound diet. The hypothesis was that younger larvae have insufficient digestive enzymes to thrive on compound diets, and that exogenous enzymes, provided from live prey, are necessary for early stages.The organogenesis of marine fish larvae is not completely achieved at hatching and histological studies have revealed that the anatomy of the digestive tract undergoes developmental changes over some weeks. Nevertheless, biochemical studies over 20 years have shown that most of the digestive enzymes are present in young larvae. Recent studies have provided better understanding of digestion mechanisms in larvae and have led to proposed dietary compositions meeting larvae nutritional requirements. Pancreatic digestive enzymes are detected before mouth opening. Their synthesis is not induced by diet ingestion, but secretory mechanisms in the pancreas, and so enzymatic action, become efficient chronologically after those of synthesis. Inadequate diets can delay the onset of secretion mechanisms. The ratio of secreted enzymes to total enzymes indicates the nutritional value of the diet ingested by the larvae.At the intestinal level, cytosolic enzymes, which are peptidases, exhibit high activity in the early stages, suggesting a high capacity in larvae to digest protein hydrolysate. Indeed, larvae growth and survival is improved by the incorporation of a moderate concentration of peptide or hydrolysate in the diet. Peptidase activity abruptly decreases around day 25 in sea bass, concurrent with an increase in enzymes of the brush border membranes. This corresponds to a normal maturation process of enterocytes. Compound diets can slightly delay the onset of this maturation process, and inadequate diet can prevent it, leading to near death of the larvae. A proper onset of the maturation process has been associated with high larvae survival.The early developmental stage larvae exhibit high hydrolytic capacity, related to their weight. Enzyme activity pattern is age-dependent, but can be modulated by diet composition. Thus, larvae have the ability to digest and thrive on compound diet, if this diet is well adapted. Larvae have different specificities in digestion and nutritional requirements when compared to juveniles. Taking these specificities into consideration, recent research has led to the formulation of a compound diet that was well adapted for larvae from mouth opening, and could totally replace live prey.
Aquaculture (0044-8486) (Elsevier), 2001-08 , Vol. 200 , N. 1-2 , P. 161-180

Droits : 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2001/publication-447.pdf
DOI:10.1016/S0044-8486(01)00699-8
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/447/