INVESTIGATIONS ON THE MELANOPHORESTIMULATING HORMONES IN THE HYPOPHYSIS OF THE FINBACK WHALE (BALAENOPTERA PHYSALUS)

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Extracts of single hypophyses of the finback whale (Balaenoptera physalus) were exposed to zone electrophoresis on starch, and the electrophoretic samples tested for their melanophore-stimulating activity, using pieces of isolated skin of the lizard Anolis carolinensis in vitro as a test object. It was demonstrated that four different components with melanophore-stimulating activities are present in a single whale hypophysis. The electrophoretic behaviour of three of these components are comparable to that of the MSH's of known chemical structures alpha-, beta-seryl-, and beta-glutamyl-MSH. The electrophoretic behaviour of a fourth component, differs from that of any of the known MSH's. This component is the most abundant – or has the strongest melanophore-stimulating activity – in comparison with the other components found in the whale. The possibility that this component is identical with the fat mobilizing factor discovered and isolated by Birk & Li (1963) is suggested.