Phospholipids of the sexual segment of the kidney of the Indian house lizard, Hemidactylus flaviviridis Ruppell

Abstract

The Indian house lizard, Hemidactylus flaviviridis breeds seasonally. In a sexually mature male lizard, from October to May of the following year, the secondary and tertiary collecting tubules of the kidney are hypertrophied forming the sexual segment. The development of the sexual segment is synchronous with the testicular cycle and maximum development occurs during the period when the testes are spermatogenically active. The sexual segment is not developed in the females in any season of the year; it is completely regressed in males during sexual quiescence (June and July). Injection of 4.0 mg of testosterone propionate over two weeks stimulated the regressed sexual segment to hypertrophy in males during quiescence and also in females. The apical portions of the cells of the sexual segment are loaded with granular secretions which are stained with Baker's acid haematein and phosphomolybdic acid-stannous chloride, indicating the presence of choline -containing phospholipids. The composition of the phospholipids of the sexual segment, which is a unique feature of the lizards and snakes, is unknown. This preliminary communication describes the isolation and quantitative estimation of phospholipids present in the sexual segment of the Indian house lizard, Hemidactylus flaviviridis Ruppell.