Summary
The influence of a long daily photoperiod and continuous darkness on the hypothalamo-hypophysial system of blinded frogs was studied.
In the preoptic nucleus no difference could be observed between the two groups of blinded frogs neither in the amount of incorporated 35S-cysteine nor in the amount of aldehydefuchsin positive material nor in the nuclear volume of the secretory cells. These results were compared with those of an experiment with intact frogs kept simultaneously under the same environmental conditions. It appeared that the activity of the dark-treated blinded group was enhanced compared with the activity of the dark-treated intact group while the light-treated blinded frogs showed a decrease in activity compared with the similarly treated intact animals.
Likewise the influence of a long daily photoperiod on the hypothalamo-hypophysial system of unilaterally blinded frogs was studied. The activity of the preoptic nucleus was lower on the side where the optic nerve had been cut than on the intact side. In the dorsal part of the preoptic nucleus a difference between the two sides could not be observed.
The significance of these results is discussed with regards to a possible connection between retina and preoptic nucleus.
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The author thanks Prof. Dr. J. C. van de Kamer and Dr. F. C. G. van de Veerdonk for their helpful encouragement and for critically reading the manuscript. He also is indebted to Mr. E. Noordegraaf for his technical assistance and to the members of the staff of the photographic department for making the illustrations.
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Vullings, H.G.B. Influence of light and darkness on the hypothalamo-hypophysial system of blinded and unilaterally blinded frogs (Rana temporaria). Z.Zellforsch 136, 355–364 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307040
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307040