The Effect of Arginine Vasotocin on Cryoprotectant Production during Freezing in the Pacific Chorus Frog, Pseudacris Regilla

Freeze Tolerance is an adaptation seen amongst several species of amphibians as a way of surviving during wintering months. Use of cryoprotectants is seen in all freeze tolerant species (glucose/glycerol). Synthesis and transportation mechanisms that regulate this process are not yet fully understood. Arginine vasotocin is a neurohypophyseal peptide known to have glycogenolytic effects as well as regulate several key processes involved in fluid and solute transportation. Although one prior study suggested that AVT is not involved in responses to freezing, I measured AVT levels during freezing and injected an AVT antagonist to see if it would affect the production of cryoprotectants within liver and thigh muscle during freezing. There was a dramatic increase in systemic AVT levels (p=0.05) during freezing by <em>Pseudacris regilla.</em> The AVT antagonist caused a dramatic reduction (~50%) in hepatic glucose and glycerol concentrations. These results demonstrate that AVT is involved with the process of cryoprotectant sourcing during freezing events in <em>Pseudacris regilla.</em>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Ingels, Ben

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jason Irwin
• Wayne Quirk
• David Darda

• Biology
• Life Sciences

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/599

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.cwu.edu:etd-1614