Summary
The influence of long daily photoperiods and of continuous darkness on the secretory activity of the subcommissural organ (SCO) and on the growth rate of Reissner's fibre (RF) in Rana esculenta was studied in winter.
The amount of aldehyde-fuchsin (AF) positive material in the apical cell parts of the SCO is smaller in light-adapted than in darkness-adapted animals. Differences in incorporation rate of 35S-cysteine between the SCO of light-adapted and of darkness-adapted animals, however, are small. The conclusion must be that light/darkness conditions only slightly influence the secretory activity of the SCO cells of Rana esculenta. In agreement with this conclusion is the observation that RF grew only slightly faster in the light-adapted than in the darkness-adapted animals.
Under the conditions used RF was completely renewed in about 3 to 4 days.
Influences of temperature on the activity of the SCO have been observed.
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The author thanks Prof. Dr. J. C. van de Kamer and Dr. F.C.G. van de Veerdonk for their active interest, encouragement and for critically reading the manuscript. The technical assistance of Miss Donata Fluitsma and Mr. E. M. Noordegraaf is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks are also due to the members of the staff of the photographic department for making the illustrations.
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Diederen, J.H.B. Influence of light and darkness on secretory activity of the subcommissural organ and on growth rate of reissner's fibre in Rana esculenta L.. Z. Zellforsch 139, 83–94 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307463
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307463