The distribution of lithium in amphibian gastrulae autoradiographically demonstrated

✍ Scribed by Dent, J. N. ;Sheppard, C. W.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1957
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 496 KB
• Volume: 135
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1401350310

✦ Synopsis

The effects of lithium ions on development have been studied very extensively. although invertebrate material has most frequently been employed, some attention has also been given to the irregularities brought about by lithium in amphibian embryogeny (see review by Gustafson, '50). I n all forms studied, lithium causes exogastrulation. In the amphibian lithium produces, in addition, neural reduction of varying degrees ranging from a slight approximation of the nasal pits through complete acephaly, as well as mesodermalization (Lehmann, '37) or endodermalization (Cohen, '38) of the notochord.

Although microcephaly has been induced by a variety of teratogenic agents (Hall, '42), considerable interest has been shown regarding the question of whether lithium (or any other teratogenic agent) is specific or general in its action. Hall ( '42) and Lombard ( '52) have reasoned that, if the action of lithium is specific, it interferes with some phase or phases of that system of interaction between the anterior chordamesoderm and the neuroectoderm that results in neurulation. Hall combined in vitro explants of lithium-treated and untreated chordamesoderm and neuroectoderm and produced evidence that lithium acts primarily on the chordamesoderm. Lombard 'Work at Oak Ridge under Contract No, W-7405-eng-26 for the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission.