title: Elevation of plasma aldosterone levels of tadpoles at metamorphic climax.
abstract: Plasma aldosterone concentrations in Rana catesbeiana tadpoles during metamorphosis were determined by radioimmunoassay. Aldosterone levels were relatively low (0.7-1.4 ng/ml) during pre- and prometamorphosis. At the onset of climax, aldosterone concentration increased markedly and reached a peak (10.9 ng/ml) at stage XXII. Subsequently, aldosterone levels declined and at the end of metamorphosis (stage XXV), the average concentration was 3.9 ng/ml plasma. Administration of ACTH elevated plasma aldosterone levels in hypophysectomized tadpoles. When hypophysectomized animals were kept in thyroxine (T4), plasma aldosterone concentrations also increased. Combined ACTH and T4 treatment caused a marked increase in plasma aldosterone concentration. The possible involvement of thyroid hormone in the elevation of plasma aldosterone during metamorphosis is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D007814:Larva; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D011892:Rana catesbeiana / Q000097:blood* / Q000254:growth & development; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000450:Aldosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D013974:Thyroxine