The effect of ergocornine on melanophores ofAmbystoma tigrinum: Evidence for suppression of pituitary MSH release

✍ Scribed by Platt, James E. ;Norris, David O.

• Book ID: 102335191
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1974
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 471 KB
• Volume: 189
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1401890103

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Injection of ergocornine into larval tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) placed on a black background prevented the increase in melanophore index observed in saline‐injected controls. Larvae pre‐adapted to a black background showed a significant drop in their melanophores indices which persisted for up to 11 days following a single injection of 25 μg ergocornine (2.5 μg/g body weight). Dark‐adapted, ergocornine‐treated larvae with melanin concentrated in the melanophores responded to a single injection of 20 μg mammalian ACTH with rapid and complete dispersion of melanin within the melanophores. The same larvae did not respond similarly to a single injection of 25 μg ovine prolactin. These results support the hypothesis that ergocornine blocked the secretion of pituitary MSH in Ambystoma tigrinum.