Effects of the ultimobranchial and parathyroid glands and vitamins D2, D3 and dihydrotachysterol2 on blood calcium and intestinal calcium transport in the frog.

Administration of 500 mug vitamin D2 or D3 with ingestion of calcium to ultimobranchialectomized (UBX) or UBX-parathyroidectomized (PTX) frogs (Rana pipiens) induced hyerpcalcemia and hypercalciuria not apparent in control or PTX frogs. Calcium transport in isolated everted gut sacs was significantly elevated in UBX and UBX-PTX frogs but not in controls or PTX animals. Further, with Vitamin D3 in UBX frogs the duodenal segment had a greater capacity to transport calcium than the jejunal-ileal segment when compared to control, PTX or UBX-PTX frogs. Dihydrotachysterol2 and calcium ingestion also induced hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria and increased calcium transport in gut of UBX and UBX-PTX frogs, with no change seen in PTX or controls after 5 days. The inhibitory influence of the ultimobranchial glands on intestinal calcium transport apparently does not require the presence of the parathyroids and exhibits an inhibitory influence against a high calcium gradient across the duodenal segment.