Loss of sodium from the skin of the dehydrated toad, Bufo marinus.

Abstract

THE movement of sodium across the skin of frogs and toads has been studied extensively1. Bufo marinus placed in distilled water loses sodium from the skin at an increased rate when injected with large doses of ‘Pitressin’2. Increase in concentration of the body fluids as in dehydration potentiates posterior pituitary hormone release in mammals, and the same appears to be the case in amphibians3. Therefore it was of interest to see what effect such endogenous release of posterior pituitary hormone had on loss of sodium from the skin.