Antioxidant system of Black Sea animals in early development.

Activities of lipoxygenase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, glutathione reductase and content of low molecular weight antioxidants were determined in eggs and larvae of some molluscs, crustaceans, elasmobranchs and teleost fish of the Black Sea. The enzyme activities and concentrations of low molecular weight antioxidants showed marked interspecies differences, depending on specific developmental peculiarities. During marine animal embryogenesis the activities of lipoxygenase and most of the examined antioxidant enzymes tended to increase in eggs and especially in hatching larvae, while the contents of low molecular weight antioxidants were decreased. High correlations between antioxidant enzyme activities (0.52 < r < 0.96), content of low molecular weight antioxidants (0.58 < r < 0.99) and developmental stages of examined marine animals were established.