• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.153-158
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• 2014

In order to determine the testicular cycle of the Korean brown frog, Rana coreana, the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and the changes of germ cells in testis for adult males were investigated throughout the year. The study indicated that the spermatogenesis in the seminiferous tubule of testis began in August and became most active in the month of September, and the GSI was recorded the highest and the cross area of seminiferous tubule was the widest on this period. Furthermore the seminiferous tubules at the post spawning stage appeared in testis during February, and the spermatogenesis was quiescence period of time from March to July and the GSI and the cross area of seminiferous tubule were found to be the lowest. Based on these observations, we suggest that, GSI of male Korean brown frog changes significantly between July to August, indicating the testicular cycle with discontinuous spermatogenic process, and the breeding season was confirmed to be February.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.121-126
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• 2007

We monitored gold-spotted pond frog (Rana chosenica) populations near the Korea National University of Education in Chungbuk, Korea, from 19 May to 8 August, 2006 to examine the spatial distribution of populations in local areas and to investigate patterns of migration of adult gold-spotted pond frogs from terrestrial hibernation sites to breeding sites, We captured individuals from the largest population using a drift fence with 22 pitfall traps surrounding the breeding site. A total of 22 individuals (19 males and 3 females) were captured between 23 May and 15 June. No peak in breeding migration was detected, but the onset of the breeding migration may correspond with increased humidity. Male body weights were negatively correlated with sampling dates. Seven of 22 individuals were captured at the 4th pitfall trap, which was placed between two culverts. The capture rate per pitfall trap was higher in traps close to the rice field banks (1.44, traps $1{\sim}9$) than in traps facing hilly land (0.33, traps $13{\sim}18$). Comparative data from the Korean frog (Rana coreana), a sympatric species in the study area, were also collected and compared with those of the gold-spotted pond frog.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.231-240
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• 1984

The authors observed pigment cells in the dorsal skin of Korean frog (Rana nigromaculata coreana Okada) under an electron microscope. The traits of pigment cells were as follows. The three kinds of dermal chromatophores were horizontally expanded; adjacent closely contiguous and partially overlapped with one another and there were the intercellular space between a xanthophore and an iridophore, or an iridophore and a melanophore. 1. Xanthophores: Xanthophores were filled with pterinosomes and carotenoid vesicles, the formers of which were evenly distributed in each cell. Pterinosomes were five kinds of types (type I, type II, type III, type IV and type V pterinosomes). Especially typical type II and type III pterinosomes were well observed in the cytoplasm. 2. Iridophores: Xanthophores were closely contiguous to the xanthophore situated above and they were filled with reflective platelets. Mostly these platelets are arranged regularly, that is, in parallel with the surface of skin, but partly, nonparallel. 3. Melanophores: Melanophores were filled with melanin granules, each of which revealed the same electron density. The pocesses of melanophore entended to bilateral sides of iridophores and melanin granules were dispersed especially in the processes.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.287-292
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• 2014

In order to determine the ovarian cycle of Korean brown frog, Rana coreana, the developmental stage based on the gonadosomatic index (GSI), size of follicle oocytes in ovary and vitellogenesis for adult females were investigated all around the year. The weight of ovary and GSI were the lowest from March to May, and all follicle oocytes existed in the pre-vitellogenic form, indicating that the vitellogenesis was suspended. The follicle oocytes in early-vitellogenic stage appeared in ovary during June when the weight of ovary and GSI started to increase, and the follicle oocytes in mid-vitellogenic and pre-vitellogenic stages existed during August and the weight of ovary and GSI also increased. This indicates that vitellogenesis has been carried out actively during this period. The follicle oocytes in mid-vitellogenic stage and late-vitellogenic stage when the vitellogenesis was also completed existed between September and November. Post-vitellogenic follicle oocytes after vitellogenesis started to appear from December in hibernation, and the full grown follicle oocytes existed during February, indicating the ovarian cycle that all follicle oocytes in ovary are developed separately, not synchronized, during the growing period of follicle oocytes and the post-vitellogenic follicle oocytes are maintained the ovulation period.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.13-18
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• 1960

For the study on the sex ratio in natural populations of the different localities, the amphibian species were collected as the materials at the seven localities in Korea, and were obtained the following results. The sex ratios of each amphibian species suggest that each has it's own specific sex rations the following list. Rana nigromaculata H. : 109-39, Rana rugosa SCH. : 67.44, Rana temporaria coreana O. : 158.45, Hyla arborea japonica G. : 137.70. In Rana nigromaculata H. the average sex ratio was 109.39 as the above list, and its was reached statistically significant level according to the different localiies. The sex ratio was generally higher in the eastern area than that in the western area in this country. The sex ratio of the adult frogs of Rana nigromaculata H. was 135.18 , and it has a statistically significant level by each locality but the sex ratio of the younger frogs of the same species was 100.97 which was a little lower than that in the adult, and it was not laid at a significant level according to the localities. There is no doubt that the difference of sex ratios according to the localities was mainly due to the different ratios of the adult frogs which were effected on the constitution of sex by environmental factors in each locality.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.105-110
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• 1972

A cellulosse acetate electrophoretic survey of Korean Anura has revealed the presence of diverse lactate and malate dehydrogenase (LDH and MDH) isozymes. The pattern of LDH and MDH isozymes in the tissues of the central nervous system of the six species of Anura examined are species specific and differ from those of mammals and birds. Both Rana nigromaculata nigromaculata and Rana nigromaculata coreana have two molecular forms of LDH and MDH, respectively, with almost the same pattern. Whole brain homogenate of Rana temporaria shows also a maximum of only two LDH isozymes. Both Bufo bufo asiaticus and Bombina orientalis have five molecular forms of LDH with an entirely different spacing on the zymograms, whereas Rana rugosa has three. Two molecular forms of MDH are present in all animals examined and one band is shown in olfactory lobe and mixture of cerebellum and medulla oblongata of Rana nigromaculata nigromaculata.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 1973

The morphological changes of the enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal mucosae of Rana amurensis were observed during pre-hibernating, hibernating, post-hibernating and active period. The results of the observation are as follow: 1. The relative values of the enterochromaffin cell numbers in the pre-hibernating, hibernating and post-hibernating groups as compared with the active group are 1.50, 0.36 and 0.90, respectively. 2. In active and pre-hibernating groups, the enterochromaffin cells are large and middle-amount granulated cells and the sparse granulated cells increase significantly during hibernating and post-hibernating periods. 3. It is concluded that the morphological changes of enterochromaffin cells are due to lowered metabolic acitvities especially lowered endocrine activity during hibernation.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.193-201
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• 1973

A cellulose acetate electrophoretic survey of Korean Anura has revealed the presence of diverse lactate and malate dehydrogenase isozymes. The LDH and MDH isozymes in the tissues of the brain, heart, stomach, skeletal muscle and liver of the six species of Anura examined show the species specific patterns which differ from those of mammals and birds. Two isozymic forms of LDH and MDH exist in both Rana nigromaculata and Rana nigromaculata coreana, respectively, with almost the same pattern. LDH of Bombina orientalis has five isozymic forms, and that of Rana temporaria ornativentris contains four isozymes. Bufo sp. has 3 to 5, and Rana rugosa has 3 to 4 isozymic bands according to the tissues. MDH's of all animals have two isozymic forms with different spacing on the zymograms.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.1 s.17
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• pp.15-18
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• 1975

The effect of skin extracts of Korean amphibian, poisonous snake and fresh-water fish were determined for their caerulein-like action on rabbit gall bladder strips. The isolated gall bladder strips were prepared according to the technique described by Amer and Becvar(1969). The strips were placed in a bath containing 100ml of Locke-Ringer solution maintained at $38^{\circ}C$. Oxygen was continuously bubbled through the solution. The tension of the muscle strip was initially adjusted to 0.7g. The contractile response was measured isometrically by a force-displacement transducer connected to a polygraph. In this rabbit gall bladder strip caerulein produced contraction of CCK-PZ type. The skin extract of Korean amphibian also elicited similar contraction as caerulein, which extracted from Australian amphibian, Hyla caerulea, by Erspamer et al. The calculated amount was approximately $2{\mu}g$ caerulein per gram of skin tissue in Korean amphibian and the potency was about 1/200 of that seen in Australian amphibian. The contraction of gall bladder strip by our amphibians occurs in decreasing order; Rana Nigromaculata coreana Okada, Rana nigromaculata Hallowell, Hyla arborea japonica Gunther and Bombina orientalis Boulenger. The skin extracts of poisonous snake and fresh-water fish produced no caerulein-like activity.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.193-197
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• 1999

A peroxidase-antiperoxidase method was used to detect the cells showing immunoreactivities to six hormone antibodies in the alimentary tracts of six frog species, Rana nigromaculata, R. rugosa, R. amurensis coreana, R. catesbeiana, Bombina orientalis, and Hyla arborea japonica, inhabiting Korea. The cells immunoreactive to gastrin and cholecystokinin-8 were observed in the pylorus of the stomachs and in the small intestines of all frog species examined. In contrast, these somatostatin-immunoreactive cells were identified in the esophagus and the whole gastrointestinal tracts, but were absent from the large intestines in R. rugosa, R. catesbeiana, B. orientalis and H. arborea japonica. The pancreatic polypeptide (PP)-immunoreactive cells represented their distribution limited to the small intestines of R. amurensis coreana and H. arborea japonica, and they were additionally identified in the pylorus of the stomachs in the other four species. Serotonin- and glucagon- Immunoreactive cells revealed different regional distributions in which the former were observed throughout the whole alimentary tracts in all frog species investigated, whereas the latter were not found in these regions at all. Endocrine cells were relatively abundant in the pyloric portion of the stomach compared to other organs. The present study showed that all endocrine cells except for PP had a similar distribution in the alimentary tracts of all frog species used.