title: Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) system in frog skin.
abstract: In this study the ultrastructure of Rana esculenta skin is described. Cytochemical methods were used to localize guanylate cyclase in the presence of atrial natriuretic peptide and immunocytochemical methods showed the presence of the atrial natriuretic peptide in various levels of skin. The peptide is mainly found in the epithelium and in the lymph sacs of the tela subcutanea. Its receptors are located in the same zones and are indicated by guanylate cyclase activity. We demonstrate that frog skin is a target organ for atrial natriuretic peptide and propose that, at this level, the peptide carries out an important osmoregulatory role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. vagnetti@unipg.it
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vagnetti
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Santarella
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Di Rosa
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cardellicchio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011893:Rana esculenta
chemical_list: D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor