Biochemical data on subtotally hypophysectomized Xenopus laevis (Daudin) adult specimens treated or not with prolactin.

Abstract

Xenopus laevis (Daudin) adult specimens were submitted to hypophysectomy. Although the operation resulted subtotal, it served the purpose of removing the prolactin-producing cells, whereby the involvement of endogenous prolactin in osmoregulation phenomena was excluded. In the operated animals treated with ovine prolactin the following metabolic parameters, which are closely dependent upon interrenal activity, were estimated: 1) intestine alkaline phosphomonoesterase activity (E.C. 3.1.3.1); 2) liver glycogen level; 3) glucose-6-phosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.9.) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (E.C. 4.1.1.32.) in the liver; 4) blood glucose level; 5) blood ammonia and urea levels; 6) carbamoylphosphate synthetase activity in the liver (E.C. 2.7.2.a); 7) muscle sodium and potassium levels. The above metabolic parameters were found to be pressed by subtotal hypophysectomy and after subsequent prolactin treatment showed the tendency to go back to values similar to those of control animals.