FURTHER STUDIES ON THE LIPID DISTRIBUTION 

 IN THE TISSUES OF HIBERNATING TOADS 



C. DEB, and M. MUKHERJI 



Department of Physiology, University Collège of Science, Calcutta, India 



Neutral lipids, unsaturated lipids, plasmalogen, cholestérol and phospho- 

 lipid were démon strated in the différent tissu es of toad (Bufomelanostic- 

 tus) during hibernation (February), post-hibernation (/\pril), breeding 

 season (August) and pre-hibemation (November). 



In liver and fat body, maximum sudanophilia had been observed during 

 November which decreased during February and completely disappeared 

 in April. From August it began to accumulate again. Unsaturated lipid, 

 plasmalogen and cholestérol were absent in liver during February, some 

 phospholipid only being présent. The maximum value of ail the four 

 cytoplasmic inclusions were observed during August. The changes indicat- 

 ed that fat was being utilised during hibernation. In Icidney and intestine 

 maximum amount of unsaturated lipid, plasmalogen and phospholipid has 

 been seen to occur during August and minimum during February; the 

 cardiac muscle showed very little altération in the lipid fractions. Thèse 

 changes hâve been ascribed to be due to seasonal altération in the activity 

 of the organ, 



Adrenal gland of the toad also showed a seasonal variation in its 

 activity. During hibernation maximum amount of ail the différent lipids 

 hâve been observed in adrenals, which dropped to minimum value during 

 non-hibernation. Thèse findings indicated a hypofunction of the gland 

 during hibernation. The effect of différent stress conditions on adrenals 

 was studied both during hibernation and non-hibernation. During non- 

 -hibern'ation a depletion of différent lipid fractions in the stress condition 

 indicated hyperfunction of this organ. Toads were also subjected to similar 

 stress during hibernation when there was no altération in the différent 

 lipids. The hibemating toads were also injected with 0'3 I.U. of adre- 

 nocorticotrophic hormone. A fall in the lipid fractions indicating increased 

 adrenal cortical activity has been observed. Thèse results showed that 

 during hibernation there was a blockade in the release of adrenocortico- 

 trophic hormone. 



In both semineferous tubules and interstitial cell of testes maximum 



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