Cytochemical studies of hydrogen peroxide production in the tadpole tail ofRana japonica during metamorphic climax

Abstract

The degeneration of tadpole tail tissue was investigated cytochemically by localizing the sites of hydrogen peroxide production. A cerium perhydroxide precipitation method was used. No reaction product was found in resting macrophages and intact muscle fibres during premetamorphosis. In the metamorphosis phase, extensive cerium precipitates were visualized on the outer surface of the plasma membrane of phagocytotic macrophages, fibroblasts, neutrophils, epidermal cells, muscle fibres, notochordal cells, nerve cells and capillary endothelial cells. The reaction products were localized on those parts of the plasma membranes of the macrophages that were in contact with those of adjoining cells. When catalase were added, the amount of deposits decreased. alpha-Tocopherol and indomethacin, but not dexamethasone, significantly inhibited the formation of the reaction products. These findings are taken to indicate that active oxygen is produced on the plasma membrane of activated macrophages and may play a role in the degeneration of the tail tissue.

The relationship between total sialic acid levels and antioxidant status in the tadpoles of Bufo viridis and Rana ridibunda ridibunda

“…It has been reported that hydrogen peroxide locates on the plasma membrane at the sites of contact between macrophages and adjoining cells in the tails of metamorphosing R. japonica tadpoles. 25 In our study, we found increased SOD and CAT activities during the developmental period in R. r. ridibunda and B. viridis tadpoles and similar reports have also been published for some other animals during early development such as the fruit fly C. capitata, 26 and guinea pig. 31 Increases of antioxidant enzyme activities can reflect altered gene expression during development and synthesis of these proteins.…”

Immunohistochemical localization of cathepsin D and a possible role of melanocytes during tail resorption in tadpoles of a tropical toad

“…Tail resorption begins from Taylor and Kollros (1946) (TK) stage XX (Sasaki et al, 1988) and death of tail tissues predominantly involves apoptosis of cell followed by phagocytosis of cell debris by macrophages and other cells (Kerr et al,1974;Gilbert and Frieden, 1981). Macrophages remove the cell debris resulting out of muscle and epidermal degradation (Kinoshita et al, 1985;Nishikawa et al, 1998) whereas fibroblasts contribute in the removal of collagenous components of tail like the notochord and the basement membrane (Berry et al, 1998).…”