Effects of Sucrose on the Hypothalamo-hypophyseal System of Toad Tadpoles

Abstract

It is known that the treatment of amphibian embryos with 10 % sucrose solution produces albinism. Eakin(1953) and Driscoll and Eakin(1955) have demonstrated that the latter phenomenon depends upon the fact that the intermediate lobe fails to differentiate. This failure they regard as a consequence of disturbances in gastrulation which prevent the anlage of the epithelial hypophysis from coming into contact with the infundibulum. In some cases the infundibulum does not differentiate at all. Driscolland Eakinhave shown that after treatment with sucrose the epithelial hypophysis does develop to some extent though not forming a pars intermedia; but neither of these authors nor others have been concerned with the study of the effects of these particular experimental conditions on the hypothalamo-hypophyseal system

Research supported by a grant from C. N. R. This paper has appeared in more extensive form in Arch. Ital. Anat. Embriol. 62, 172–196 (1957).