Abstract
An increase in the concentration of K+ in defined sea water medium is demonstrated to induce settlement and metamorphosis in larvae of the marine gastropod mollusc, Haliotis rufescens. A decrease in external K+ ion concentration can inhibit the larval response to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a stereochemically specific inducer of metamorphosis of H. rufescens. Stimulation of the metamorphic response by GABA or by increased K+ may depend on transmembrane movement of ions, since induction is sensitive to neuropharmacological blockers of ion conductance. Sulfonyl isothiocyanostilbene (SITS, an anion exchange blocker) inhibits the larval response to GABA, but does not affect induction by increased external potassium. In contrast, the larval response to potassium is inhibited by tetraethylammonium (TEA, a potassium channel blocker), while induction of metamorphosis by GABA is independent of the presence of TEA. Most manipulations of the concentrations of the other predominant cation components of sea water are ...
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