The induction of collagenase and acid phosphatase by thyroxine in resorbing tadpole gills in vitro

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Abstract
Explants of tadpole gills were cultured in Hanks balanced salt solution or in Hanks supplemented with thyroid hormone. Gills in control media maintain their integrity in vitro while those treated with thyroxine undergo resorption. The activity of collagenase in the media increases in parallel with thyroxine induced resorption and is accompanied by a decrease in tissue collagen levels. T4 induced gill resorption is also associated with an increase in the specific activity of acid phosphatase. However, this increase is not the result of a significant increase in total enzyme activity but rather the result of a differential loss in total protein concentration in thyroxine treated gills as compared to control.