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THE ACTION OF MELATONIN ON SINGLE AMPHIBIAN PIGMENT CELLS IN TISSUE CULTURE
Author(s) -
MESSENGER E. ANGELA,
WARNER ANNE E.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1977.tb07554.x
Subject(s) - melatonin , phentolamine , biology , pigment , tissue culture , biophysics , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , medicine , endocrinology , receptor , biochemistry , in vitro , organic chemistry
1 Neural crest material from neurula stage Xenopus embryos was tissue cultured as small aggregates of cells or a single cell suspension. Isolated pigment cells differentiated after 2 days in culture. 2 Melatonin (10 −15 to 10 −13 M) induced pigment granule condensation; it was 10,000 times more effective than any other compound tested. 3 Tests with appropriate agents showed the pigment cells to have β‐adrenoceptors and 5‐hydroxytryptamine receptors; these sites could be blocked without affecting the response to melatonin. Phentolamine blocked the effect of melatonin. 4 Removal of Na + or Ca 2+ from the bathing medium inhibited melatonin‐induced pigment granule condensation; 10 mM K + induced pigment granule condensation. D600, Mn 2+ and La 3+ , which inhibit Ca 2+ entry, blocked the effect of melatonin. 5 Cyclic GMP induced pigment condensation and cyclic AMP pigment dispersion (10 −2 to 10 −4 M). 6 It is suggested that the action of melatonin is accompanied by depolarization and the entry of calcium ions. 7 Pigment cells in tissue culture could provide a useful bioassay method for melatonin.