EFFECT OF ADENINE MONONUCLEOTIDES ON NEURAL TUBE FORMATION OF FROG EMBRYO

Abstract

In 24 experiments R. pipiens blastulae treated with solutions of ATP, ADP, or AMP-3 (with specific conditions of pH and concentrations) for short periods of time resulted in precocious closure of neural tubes about 4 hours (18[degree]C) ahead of controls. In 1 experiment with R. sylvatica, using ATP, results were identical. Effects of solution treatments appeared 2-3 days after embryos were returned to normal medium. Adenine, adenosine, inorganic phosphate, and pyrophosphate in similar experimental conditions had no effect on neurulation, nor had the effect of pH alone. A tentative hypothesis for the method of utilization of monunucleotides is presented. Solution treatments that enhance a normal growth process offer a simple system for study of biochemical factors of morphogenesis in an intact organism under comparatively normal conditions. The mechanism by which the adenine mononucleotides, or other materials that may be found to favor a specific growth process, affect metabolism after penetration can be followed further by more refined techniques.