Amphibian metallothionein. Induction in the frogs Rana japonica, R. nigromaculata and Rhacophorus schlegelii.

Cadmium (Cd) was injected intramuscularly into three species of frogs to examine the number of isoforms in the induced metallothionein (MT). The induced MT was shown to consist of a single isoform in the three species of frogs Rana japonica, R. nigromaculata and Rhacophorus schlegelii. Native MT in the livers of R. japonica and R. nigromaculata was copper (Cu)-MT and the induced MT in the three species was Cd, Cu-MT, the Cd/Cu ratio in the induced MT being different from species to species. The effect of Cd injections on the concentrations of 10 elements in the livers and kidneys of the Rana species was not significant except for Cu.