Hormone control in regeneration: effects of somatostatin on appendage regeneration, blood glucose and liver glycogen in Diemictylus viridescens.
In the present communication, synthetic somatostatin, a hypothalamic factor which has a known inhibitory effect on the release of growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, prolactin, insulin and glucagon in man and other mammals, was found to have an inhibitory effect on limb and tail regeneration in adult Diemictylus viridescens, when the newts were treated with a daily dose of 3-5 or 15 microgram/animal for a period of 34 days post-amputation. At the higher dose, the animals exhibited total inhibition of appendage regeneration in a few cases and the remainder showed a considerable delay compared to the controls; none of the experimental animals reached the advanced four-digit stage achieved by the controls. Furthermore, the blood glucose and liver glycogen values in the somatostatin-treated animals were significantly lower than the control values. Mechanisms in the storage, mobilization and utilization of glucose (involving hormones) are discussed in relation to appendage regeneration in the newt and possible controls of regeneration at the level of the hypothalamus are suggested.
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D005121:Extremities / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008112:Liver Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D012455:Salamandridae; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013623:Tail / Q000502:physiology
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008112:Liver Glycogen; D013004:Somatostatin