Biochemical variation in the Rana esculenta complex: a new hybrid form related to Rana perezi and Rana ridibunda.

Investigations of the green frogs from western Europe for electrophoretic variations at 4 enzyme loci demonstrated a new form which must be considered as a hybrid between Rana ridibunda and R. perezi. Biochemical evidence supports the hypothesis that its reproduction is hybridogenetic, as it is for R. esculenta.     

The control of the frog (Rana esculenta) thumb pad

Summary Extirpation of the pars distalis of the pituitary or castration in any period of the year cause thumb pad regression. Thumb pad development is regulated by an interaction of both temperature and androgenic hormones.Work done under the C.N.R.-finalized project Biologia della Riproduzione.     

Regulation of glutamate pyruvate transaminase in the amphibian (Rana hexadactyla) kidney and liver homogenates

Zusammenfassung Die Wirkung der Protein- und Aminosäurebelastung auf die Glutamat-Pyruvat-Transaminase in Niere und Leber vonRana hexadactyla wurde untersucht. Die Enzymaktivität war in der Niere höher als in der Leber.-Globulin und Lysin erhöhte die Leberenzyme und war ohne Einfluss auf die Nieren-Transaminase.     

A human calcitonin-like molecule in the ultimobranchial body of the amphibia (Rana pipiens)

Summary As assessed by radioimmunoassay, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), frog ultimobranchial calcitonin was found to be similar to synthetic human calcitonin but completely different from synthetic salmon calcitonin.Acknowledgments. This work was supported in parts by grants from the Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, Spanish Ministry of Universities and Egyptian Ministry of High Education.     

Rhythmic activity in frog (Rana pipiens) visual system

Zusammenfassung Nachweis, dass die Netzhaut-Ganglienzellen dritter Klasse beiRana pipiens auf Beleuchtungsperiodenausgleich reaktiv rhythmische potentialfolgen von bursts und firing erzeugen. Als wirksamste Beleuchtungsperioden erwiesen sich solche im mesopischen Bereich bei Mindestdauer von 15 sec. Weder skotopische noch photopische Belichtungen führten zu rhythmischer Aktivität.     

Latency of taste nerve signals in frog (Rana catesbeiana).

The latency of frog gustatory neural impulses to 1.0 M NaCl was a mean of 86 msec. Electrical stimulation of taste cell membranes produced gustatory neural impulses with the mean 5 msec latency. It is concluded that most of the 86 msec latency of taste nerve responses to 1.0 N NaCl is due to the latency of taste receptor potential following the onset of gustatory stimulation.     

Depletion of synaptic vesicles at the frog (Rana pipiens) neuromuscular junctions by tetraphenylboron

Summary At the frog neuromuscular junction tetraphenylboron produced a decrease in miniature endplate potential amplitude, accompanied by a decrease in the number but not the size of synaptic vesicles.This work was supported by NIH Grants Nos NS-07740 and NS-05707 to R. L. P. and was done during the tenure of a Research Fellowship of Muscular Dystrophy Associations of America, a Wellcome Research Travel Grant and a grant from the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland to I. G. M. The assistance of Dr.R. M. Schnitzler, W. G. Boldosser andP. M. Spannbauer is gratefully acknowledged.     

The response of frog taste cells (Rana nigromaculata andRana catesbeana)

Zusammenfassung Die Registrierung der Rezeptorpotentiale einzelner Geschmackszellen von Raniden (R. nigromaculata undR. catesbeana) bei Reizung mit 4 Grundgeschmacksarten mittels Glasmikroelektrode ergibt: Ruhepotential der Rezeptorzellen 10–35 mV (innen negativ). Die einzelnen Geschmackszellen antworten auf mehr als 2 Geschmacksarten und zeigen im Hinblick auf ihre Antwortmuster zellcharakteristisches Verhalten.     

Seasonal variations in fat body metabolism of the green frog Rana esculenta (L.).

Rana esculenta (L.), kept under natural conditions, show almost constant body weights in the annual cycle. Fat body weight, however, has a distinct maximum in October decreasing continuously to a May minimum which is also evident in the fat body index. The triglyceride and protein contents show the same course. Suprisingly high amounts of glycogen are found, which reach a maximum in August.     

Distribution of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) and somatostatin in the skin of the green frog (Rana esculenta)]

High concentrations of Thyrotrophin-Releasing Hormone (TRH) have been found in the dorsal skin of the Frog Rana esculenta, lower levels being measured in the ventral skin. alpha-MSH and somatostatin were undetectable in these tissues. Nor was TRH detected in the blood of these animals. The concentration of somatostatin in the pancreas was similar to that of the hypothalamus and twice or one hundred times higher than in the intestine or stomach respectively.     

Hypophysial hormones and a G1 block in the lens epithelium of the adult frog (Rana pipiens)

Summary Mechanical injury initself may be responsible for the transition of lens epithelial cells from the G₀ to the G₁ compartment of the cell cycle. This traverse which does not depend on DNA-dependent hypophysial hormones may be in part reversible.     

Depletion of synaptic vesicles at the frog (Rana pipiens) neuromuscular junctions by tetraphenylboron.

At the frog neuromuscular junction tetraphenylboron produced a decrease in miniature endplate potential amplitude, accompanied by a decrease in the number but not the size of synaptic vesicles.