Summary
Nearly full-term yolk sac embryos of Squalus acanthias exhibit background adaptation with melanophore responses that are dependent on the pituitary pars intermedia. Whereas the intermedia cells of other Elasmobranchs are doubly innervated by adrenergic and peptidergic fibres, probably only a small adrenergic innervation is present in Squalus. Still, the activity of the gland is regulated in a manner similar to that of other species, as evidenced by experiments with neuro-intermediate lobectomy, hormone substitution, and hypothalamic lesions. An adrenergic release-inhibiting mechanism seems to have a central role, but the possibility of peptidergic involvement is not ruled out.
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Dedicated to the memory of Sir Francis Knowles.—Supported by grants from the Swedish Natural Science Research Council. The authors wish to thank Professor B. Swedmark, Kristineberg Marine Biological Station, for material and laboratory facilities; Ciba-Geigy Ltd. for the gift of synthetic α-MSH; and Hedvig Bergdahl, Ingrid Carlsen and Lena Eriksson for valuable technical assistance.
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Meurling, P., Klefbohm, B. Control of pars intermedia activity in late embryos of the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias . Cell Tissue Res. 155, 221–229 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00221356
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00221356