RUI: Reciprocal Thyroidal/Melatonin Influences During Development

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Metamorphosis is a developmental process that is characterized by changes in form and physiology of non-reproductive structures to allow for the occupation of new ecological niches. In amphibians, the internal and external changes of metamorphosis occur in temporal relationships that appear to depend on a progressively-rising level of thyroid hormones in the blood. Moreover, the rate at which metamorphic events occur is also influenced by environmental factors such as the daily changes of light and darkness. Since melatonin, a hormone produced and secreted by the pineal gland, plays a major role in signalling photoperiodic changes, Dr. Wright will determine whether it interacts with thyroid hormone in the regulation of the metamorphic process. Using both in vitro and in vivo approaches, she will examine the influence of circadian rhythms on the reciprocal interactions between melatonin and thyroid hormones in the development of the tadpole. Amphibians serve as primary models for embryological and developmental studies and the vast majority of what we have learned about the developmental biology of amphibians is directly applicable to our understanding of human development. Therefore, these results are likely to provide new insights into the role of hormones in early development. Moreover, the findings will be related to conservation of biological diversity since identifying the environmental and hormonal factors that influence development may help in understanding the recent global decline in amphibian populations. Dr. Wright is supervising this research at an undergraduate institution and, therefore, a major goal of this project is to introduce students into the scientific process and to prepare them for professional scientific careers.