Summary
Explants comprising about 15 cells were dissected from various regions of the blastula ofAmbystoma mexicanum and cultured in Barth's medium. By addition of L-tyrosine to the culture medium it was possible to induce melanin synthesis in three different cells types: undifferentiated embryonic cells, mesenchyme cells and nerve cells. Tyrosine was found to act as an inductor in a very low concentration (1 μM). It is suggested that tyrosine serves both as an inductor and as a substrate for melanin synthesis in the amphibian larva.
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Landström, U., Løvtrup, S. Tyrosine and the synthesis of melanin in embryonic cells fromAmbystoma mexicanum . Wilhelm Roux' Archiv 185, 201–207 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00848351
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00848351