Abstract
External application of 50 μg ml-1 adenosine inhibits development of the starfish Asterina pectinifera at the 256-cell stage when all the embryonic cells differentiate to epithelial cells. Intracellular concentration of adenosine in the adenosine-treated embryo is 2·7 times higher than those of the normal embryo whereas the contents of ATP, ADP, AMP and adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate are the same for both embryos. Adenosine causes more than 95 % reduction in the rate of protein, DNA and RNA syntheses. By returning the embryo to normal sea water, macromolecular synthesis restarts and the embryo develops to the bipin-naria stage.
© 1988 by Company of Biologists
1988
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