Morphological and functional aspects of the tegument of amphibia after adaptation to external environmental variations

The tegument modifications in Rana synklepton esculenta, Xenopus laevis and Triturus carnifex have been studied during adaptation to variable external environments. On the basis of histochemical and histoenzymatic alalysis, we have shown that amphibiantegument may adpt, over a period of some days, by changes in the number as well as the activity of mitochondria rich cells. Moreover, the immediate response of skin ion transport activity to L-Levamisole (L-Leva) was detected in Rana esculenta by electrophysiological measurements. L-Leva acts as inhibitor of the aspecific alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme localized in the apical membrane of superficial epidermal cells. We propose that adptation processes involve the space beneath the horny layer, where the specialised apical membrane of outer epidermal cells is exposed and some enzymes, relevant to selective transport, are localized.