title: Early changes in the ultrastructure of the pars intermedia of the pituitary of Xenopus laevis after change of background color.
abstract: Stereological analysis of the secretory cells of the pars intermedia of Xenopus laevis over a period of 3 days following the transfer of animals from a white to a black background has revealed that significant alterations in the ultrastructural appearance of these cells can be detected 8 h after the transfer. In particular, changes in the secretory granules and the rough endoplasmic reticulum were found to correlate well with previous reports concerning the melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) content and the capacity for protein synthesis of the pars intermedia.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003116:Color; D004777:Environment; D008297:Male; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014981:Xenopus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones