Special Issue on Decoding Development, Reproduction, Physiology and Endocrine Disruption Research Using Teleost Models

Introduction:

Teleost fishes represent the most evolutionarily diverse vertebrate group, exhibiting remarkable plasticity in reproductive and developmental systems governed by complex endocrine axes, particularly the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-gonadal (HPG) axis. This special topic aims to consolidate cutting-edge research utilizing established teleost models—including zebrafish, medaka, catfish, salmonids, seabream, and tilapia—to elucidate fundamental mechanisms underlying sex determination/differentiation, gonadal transdifferentiation, gamete maturation, and neuroendocrine regulation of reproduction. The collection will explore how environmental cues (photoperiod, temperature, salinity) entrain reproductive cycles through hormonal cross-talk involving gonadotropins, cortisol, and melatonin, while addressing adaptive physiological responses including bioluminescence, immune modulation, and stress resilience. A critical focus will be placed on endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)—encompassing heavy metals, nano/microplastics, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals—and their impacts on steroidogenic and thyroid pathways, reproductive dysfunction, and transgenerational epigenetic effects. By integrating developmental biology, reproductive physiology, and environmental toxicology, this special issue seeks to advance sustainable aquaculture practices through improved spawning induction, sex ratio control, and gamete quality optimization, while providing essential insights for conserving wild fish populations threatened by emerging contaminants in vulnerable aquatic ecosystems.

Research Themes Covered but not Limited for Contribution:

1. Developmental Biology & Sexual Plasticity

• Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of sex determination/differentiation in teleosts
• Gonadal transdifferentiation (sex reversal) and its environmental or hormonal triggers
• Transcription factors and steroidogenic regulators governing gonadal fate

2. Reproductive Physiology & Neuroendocrine Control

• Neuroendocrine regulation of gametogenesis and spawning synchronization
• Seasonal/annual reproductive cycles and their entrainment by photoperiod, temperature, and rainfall
• Hormonal cross-talk (gonadotropins, cortisol, melatonin) in reproductive timing

3. Adaptive Physiology & Homeostasis

• Bioluminescence mechanisms and their ecological significance
• Immune responses, disease resistance, and stress adaptation strategies
• Physiological plasticity in response to environmental change

4. Endocrine Disruption & Environmental Toxicology

• Effects of heavy metals, nano/microplastics, pesticides, and PPCPs on HPG and thyroid axes
• Endocrine-disrupting chemicals inducing oxidative stress and abnormal vitellogenin synthesis
• Transgenerational epigenetic impacts of pollutant exposure on growth, development, and reproduction

5. Applied Aquaculture & Fisheries Management

• Endocrine-based technologies for induced spawning and sex control
• Optimization of gamete viability and embryo quality in cultured species
• Strategies for maintaining reproductive health in fish populations facing environmental degradation

Important Deadlines:

• Submission deadline (for full papers): Nov. 30, 2026
• Peer review: April 1, 2026 to Feb. 28, 2027
• Author revisions due: April 30, 2027
• Proposed Publication date: July 15, 2027

Submission Instructions:

Please read the Guide for Authors before submitting. All articles should be submitted online; please select the special issue "Teleost Models".

Manuscripts will be reviewed and published on a first-come, first-served basis. Once all accepted manuscripts are published, they will be compiled together in this special issue.

Guest Editors:

Prof. Dr. Balasubramanian Senthilkumaran, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India