Morphogenesis of the frontal organ in Bufo bufo during development |
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Authors: | R M Farnesi S Tei D Vagnetti I Di Rosa A Fagotti B Santarella |
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Affiliation: | Istituto di Anatomia Comparata, Università Degli Studi di Perugia, Italia. |
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Abstract: | Morphogenesis of the frontal organ in Bufo bufo was examined under transmission electron microscope. Many remarkable similarities to the frontal organ of other Amphibia Anura are observed. It originates from a diverticulum in the dorsal region of the neural tube. It is egg-shaped, has an eccentric lumen, and is made up of three kinds of cells: 1) photoreceptors, which protrude into the lumen; 2) supportive cells; and 3) ganglion cells, which make synaptic contact with the photoreceptors. Peculiar to Bufo bufo is the melanin-like pigments around the light-sensitive part of the photoreceptors. These pigments may prevent light dispersion. The frontal organ in Bufo bufo starts degenerating during the early premetamorphic stages. |
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