IN VITRO EFFECTS OF STEROIDS UPON ELECTROLYTE TRANSFER THROUGH FROG SKIN

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Effects of steroids on the electrolyte transfer of isolated frog skin were studied. Skin bags of hind limbs were suspended in Ringer''s solution with the epithelial surface remaining on the outside. Various steroids added to the Ringer''s solution were placed on the inside of the skin bag from one limb, while the other contained Ringer''s solution alone and served as a control. Osmotic pressures of the inside and outside fluids were examined at the beginning and the end of each experiment. In control experiments in which Ringer''s solution only was present, or in which the solvent alone was added, no significant difference existed between the uptake of electrolytes in the preparations from each individual animal. Desoxycorticosterone, fluoro-hydrocortisone and hydrocortisone caused a considerable increase in the rate of transfer of electrolytes to the interior of the frog skin bags as determined by osmotic pressure changes during incubation. Estriol showed an effect only in higher concentrations. Testosterone exhibited no effect. The significance of these findings was discussed.