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

• Published in: Acta Endocrinologica
• Main Authors: Hoekstra, A., Burgers, A. C. J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 1967
• Subjects: Endocrinology; General Medicine; Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism; Balaenoptera physalus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1530/acta.0.0560554; https://eje.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/eje/56/3/acta_56_3_022.xml

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.