Changes in ovarian follicular kinetics in intact blinded and parietal shielded frogs exposed to different spectra of light.

Ovarian follicular kinetics and gravimetric changes in the ovary and oviduct were studied in intact, blinded (BL), and parietal shielded (PS) skipper frog Rana cyanophlyctis exposed to different light spectra. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) increased (P < 0.01) in intact and PS frogs, held in green, yellow, and red light. The maximum increase was in red light followed by yellow and green. The GSI of BL frogs also increased (P < 0.001) in white, green, yellow, and red light. However, the GSI of blinded and parietal shielded (BLPS) frogs increased (P < 0.001) in white and all the colored lights compared with controls. The percentage changes of oviductal weights were similar to the ovarian weights. Data on follicular kinetics revealed a decrease in previtellogenic oocytes in intact and PS frogs placed in blue, green, yellow, and red lights. The previtellogenic oocytes of BL and BLPS frogs decreased in white light, while their number did not vary significantly in other spectra. The vitellogenic oocytes of intact and PS frogs increased in all the spectra, with a maximum increase in red. The vitellogenic oocyte count increased in both BL and BLPS frogs held in white light. The green, yellow, and red spectra stimulated vitellogenic oocyte count of BL frogs. The response of BPLS frogs was similar except for a slightly decreased oocyte count in red light. The pattern of vitellogenic oocyte counts in general exhibited a negative correlation with previtellogenic oocyte counts in all the frogs. The atretic follicular numbers did vary significantly in all of the groups. Red light stimulated ovarian activity maximally, followed by yellow and green. As the ovary exhibited varied response to the different spectra of light even in BL frogs, it may be concluded that extraretinal perception of colored light occurs in this species. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.