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Role of the CNS in the control of the water economy of the toadBufo arenarum Hensel

II. Adrenergic control of water uptake across the skin

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Summary

  1. 1.

    Subcutaneous administration of a sympathoplexic drug, guanethidine, induced intensive uptake of water across the skin of the toad,Bufo arenarum, maintained in fresh water, even after complete removal of the ADH producing system. Guanethidine had no effect in the midbrain lesioned toad. No significant changes in urine production were detected.

  2. 2.

    Phenoxybenzamine, an alpha-adrenergic blocker, closely reproduced the guanethidine effect. Conversely, the alpha-agonist metaraminol induced a decrease in water uptake with associated oliguria.

  3. 3.

    Microinjection of phenoxybenzamine into the brain increased water uptake when applied to the midbrain tegmentum and decreased urine production when applied to the forebrain.

  4. 4.

    The data show that an adrenergic mechanism is associated with the control of water uptake through toad skin. This mechanism is at least in part dependent on the midbrain tegmentum and not on the diencephalic ADH production system. The main function of this adrenergic control is probably to prevent excessive uptake of water in the intact animal during long sojourns in fresh water. It might also serve to prevent a leaching-out of electrolytes.

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Abbreviations

BW :

body weight

SW :

standard weight

ADH :

antidiuretic hormone

S :

sham operated

HR :

totally hypophysectomized, postchiasmatic sectioned and infundibular lesioned

FB :

forebrain

T :

tegmental lesioned

POX :

phenoxybenzamine

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Fisiología del Comportamiento, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Obligado 2490, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Enrique T. Segura (Established investigator of the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Ulla C. Bandsholm & Adolfo Bronstein

Authors
  1. Enrique T. Segura
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  2. Ulla C. Bandsholm
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  3. Adolfo Bronstein
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This work was supported by a grant from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

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Segura, E.T., Bandsholm, U.C. & Bronstein, A. Role of the CNS in the control of the water economy of the toadBufo arenarum Hensel. J Comp Physiol B 146, 101–106 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00688722

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00688722

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