Open AccessStudies on amphibian metamorphosis. —II
Author(s) -
Julian Huxley
Publication year - 1925
Publication title -
proceedings of the royal society of london. series b, containing papers of a biological character
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9185
pISSN - 0950-1193
DOI - 10.1098/rspb.1925.0027
Subject(s) - metamorphosis , axolotl , amphibian , thyroid , biology , zoology , ecology , endocrinology , larva , microbiology and biotechnology , regeneration (biology)
In the following pages some experiments are recorded concerned with Amphibian metamorphosis. This process, apart from its intrinisic interest, is of general importance in two ways. In the first place it is one of the few morphogenetic processes which we can control, not only qualitatively, making it occur at will, but also quantitatively, as regards its rate. Secondly, it has been shown that metamorphosis in these forms is dependent chiefly upon the thyroid, and that metabolism is increased while it is taking place. It is thus possible to use it as an indicator of thyroid activity. Various sets of experiments are here described. One concerns the effect of iodine and other agencies upon the Axolotl; another, utilizing the fact discovered by Swingle, that inorganic iodine will accelerate the metamorphosis of Anuran larvæ, endeavours to show how we can develop a method for testing what substances are antagonistic to the thyroid’s metamorphic effect, what are auxiliary to it. Others deal with the pseudo-metamorphic effects produced by air-breathing upon the Axolotl, and with the possibility of keeping tadpoles under anæsthetics for a week and more, without interfering with the precocious metamorphosis produced by thyroid. Finally the failure of thyroid to produce specific effects on fin-regression in adult male newts in the breeding season is demonstrated and discussed.