PRODUCTION OF EYE COLOR HORMONE BY THE EYES OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Abstract

Ringer's extracts of eye anlagen of wild type and brown stocks show thatv⁺ hormone appears in the optic discs approximately 40 hours after puparium formation (6 to 8 hours before onset of visible pigmentation). The trend of the measurements of the amount of hormone in pupal discs during the course of development indicates that after its appearance the amount increases rapidly to a maximum which is probably maintained until emergence. Adult eyes show a decrease in amount of hormone with increasing age. Extracts of transplanted discs show that wild type eyes actually produce v⁺ hormone, but in amounts insufficient for the development of full pigmentation.