Effects of Hypergravity on Pituitary-Target Organs in the Frog, Xenopus laevis

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  • Shinkai Tadashi
    Redox Regulation Research Group, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
  • Kashiwagi Akihiko
    Institute for Amphibian Biology, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima 739-8526, Japan
  • Kashiwagi Keiko
    Institute for Amphibian Biology, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima 739-8526, Japan
  • Matsuda Michiko
    Redox Regulation Research Group, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
  • Urano Shiro
    Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 108-8548, Japan
  • Sato
    Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 108-8548, Japan
  • Kubo Hideo
    Department of Neurobiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 113-8613, Japan
  • Furuno Nobuaki
    Institute for Amphibian Biology, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima 739-8526, Japan
  • Itai Masao
    Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
  • Watanabe Minoru
    Faculty of Integrated Arts and Science, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8501 Japan
  • Yoshitome Satoshi
    Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan
  • Fujii Hirotada
    School of Health Science, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
  • Yamashita Masamichi
    Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Sagamihara 229-8510, Japan

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Description

To investigate the effects of hypergravity on the pituitary gland and the target organs of amphibians, we raised frogs, Xenopus laevis under hypergravity environment (2 and 5G) environments from fertilization to the beginning of metamorphosis (St 57) and completion of metamorphosis (St 66). The frogs developed at 2G and 5G, but they were smaller than those raised at 1G. Moreover, the development of the frogs was delayed under both hypergravity conditions. The total volume, cell size and cell number of the pituitary of hypergravity-treated frogs were reduced. In the treated thyroid, the total volume and height of the epithelium were also reduced. Cell size was reduced in the adrenal grand of treated frogs. These morphological changes of the pituitary-target organs indicate that hypergravity alters their endocrinological functions. These results suggest that gravity different from the terrestrial environment causes dysfunction and hypofunction in the endocrine systems, and that the organisms may not be able to maintain their inherent life cycles under such conditions.

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