Summary
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1.
Extracts of radial nerves from the starfish, Asterias amurensis, were assayed for chromatophorotropic activity in the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator.
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2.
The radial nerve extracts evoked pigment dispersion in the melanophores and pigment concentration in the leucophores and erythrophores of Uca. Gel filtration studies revealed that the chromatophorotropic material is different from the gamete-shedding substance.
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3.
Like chromatophorotropins in arthropod neural tissues, the chromatophorotropic material in the radial nerves appears to have a peptide nature. Chromatography on Bio-Gel P-6 and analysis of solubility properties indicate that the latter is different from the chromatophorotropins which have been found in crustaceans.
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4.
The possibility that these chromatophorotropic effects were caused by a single substance was discussed.
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This investigation was supported by Grant GB-7595X from the National Science Foundation. We thank Miss Hiroko Shirai of the Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo for supplying the lyophilized radial nerves and Dr. Haruo Kanatani for reading the manuscript.
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Rao, K.R., Fingerman, M. Chromatophorotropic activity of extracts of radial nerves from the starfish, Asterias amurensis . Z. Vergl. Physiol. 67, 133–139 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00298523
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00298523