title: Interrenal responses to high ambient temperature in soft-shelled turtle, Lissemys punctata punctata.
abstract: An exposure to ambient temperature of 25 degrees C had no perceptible effect on interrenal function but further increase of temperature to 35 degrees C caused nuclear hypertrophy with increase of nuclear diameter, RNA concentration, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activities, accompanied by quantitative depletions of cholesterol (free, esterified and total) and ascorbic acid levels in the interrenal gland of the soft-shelled turtle Lissemys p. punctata. Similar manifestations of stimulation, except in the nucleus, were marked after exposure to 38 degrees C, but the degree of response in respect of esterified and free cholesterol levels was higher at 38 degrees C than at 35 degrees C. Moreover, withdrawal of 38 degrees C temperature and subsequently maintaining at 25 degrees C for 15 days showed reverse manifestations to those of 35 degrees C/38 degrees C, leading to a tendency towards normalcy. It is suggested that high a ambient temperature of 35 degrees C significantly stimulates interrenal function of Lissemys turtles, but further increase of 38 degrees C does not cause further overall stimulation, and withdrawal of higher temperature (38 degrees C) shows a tendency towards normalcy. It is also suggested that (a) high ambient temperature causes thermal stress, (b) it is reversible and (c) it acts on interrenal activity presumably via CRF-ACTH-axis in turtles.
authors.affiliation: Histophysiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta (Ballygunge Campus), 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta 700 019, India.
authors.forename: Prajna Paramita
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Maiti
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007401:Interrenal Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014426:Turtles / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid