The "third eye"-- a new concept of trans-differentiation of pineal gland into median eye in amphibian tadpoles of Bufo melanostictus.

ABSTRACT

Median third eye was found to develop from transplanted pineal gland of external gill stage tadpoles in the recipient 5 toe stage tadpoles of Bufo melanostictus. Pineal gland along with a bit part of brain tissue of the donor external gill stage tadpole was cut out and transplanted into a pit made between two lateral eyes of 5 toe stage recipient tadpoles. Half of the operated tadpoles were treated with vitamin A (15 IU/ml.) for 15 days. Median "third eye" was found to develop in the both untreated and vitamin A treated tadpoles. However, vitamin A increased the percentage of the development of median eyes. Morphological and histological study revealed that newly transformed median eyes were similar to that of normal functional eyes. A stalk like structure developed which connects the median eye to the brain. The median third eye could not develop when pineal gland of 5 toe stage mature tadpole was transplanted into the tadpole of the same age.