EFFECT OF PROLACTIN ON THE TADPOLE TAIL FIN. II. STIMULATORY EFFECT OF PROLACTIN ON THE SYNTHESIS OF ACID MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDE OF THE TADPOLE TAIL FIN.

Abstract

Bovine prolactin stimulated the incorporation of 14C‐glucose into skinless tail fin of tadpole. About 88% of the 14C‐radioactivity incorporated into macromolecules of the tail fin was recovered in an acid mucopolysaccharide fraction in the case of the hormone‐treated animals and about 67% in the case of the control ones. The acid mucopolysaccharide of the tail fin was identified as hyaluronic acid both in prolactin‐treated tadpoles and control animals by Dowex‐1 column chromatography and electrophoresis, confirming the result of Lipson and Silbert (1965). It is concluded from the present study that prolactin enhanced the synthesis of hyaluronic acid in tail fins 10 times as compared to untreated animals. Copyright © 1970, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved