28Development of Frog

πŸ“š
DEVELOPMENT OF FROG
β–’ Breeding:

Table 1: Breeding in Frog

Point
Detail
Season
Rainy season β†’ June to September
Place
Water
Male mating call
Croaking sound by vocal sacs
Amplexus
Sexual embrace of male + female frog / false copulation
Purpose of amplexus
Simultaneous discharge of male + female gametes at same place in water
β–’ Ovulation:
  • β€’
    Release of eggs from ovary into body cavity
  • β€’
    Eggs released as secondary oocytes
  • β€’
    Occurs by rupture of ovary
β–’ Spawning:

Table 1: Spawning

Term
Meaning
Spawning
Laying of eggs by female frog; stimulated by male during amplexus
Spawn
Cluster / mass of eggs laid by female
❖ Egg Covering:
  • β€’
    Thin vitelline membrane
  • β€’
    3 jelly coats made of gelatin
  • β€’
    Gelatin β†’ protects egg from predators
  • β€’
    Gelatin β†’ insulation / warmth
β–’ Structure of Frog Egg:

Table 1: Frog Egg

Feature
Point
Yolk amount
Mesolecithal
Yolk distribution
Telolecithal
Animal hemisphere
Upper pigmented part
Vegetal hemisphere
Lower unpigmented part
Animal pole
Cytoplasm concentrated
Vegetal pole
Yolk-rich; directed downward
❖ Developmental Sequence:
  1. Fertilization
  2. Cleavage
  3. Morula
  4. Blastula
  5. Gastrula
  6. Neurula
  7. Tadpole
  8. Adult frog
β–’ Fertilization:
❖ Type: External fertilization in water
❖ Key Points:
  • β€’
    Sperms released on egg mass before it reaches water
  • β€’
    Second meiotic division occurs after sperm entry
  • β€’
    Sperm enters through animal hemisphere
❖ Grey Crescent:

Table 1: Grey Crescent

Feature
Point
Position
Equatorial zone opposite to sperm entry
Importance
Marks dorsal side of future embryo
❖ Sperm Entry Point:
  • β€’
    Marks anterior side of future embryo
  • β€’
    Establishes bilateral organization
  • β€’
    Region called reception cone
β–’ Cleavage:
❖ Definition: Early mitotic divisions of zygote up to blastula stage
❖ Nature:
  • β€’
    Holoblastic
  • β€’
    Unequal after 3rd cleavage
  • β€’
    Indeterminate / regulative development
❖ Stages:

Table 1: Cleavage in Frog

Cleavage
Plane / Type
Result
1st cleavage
Meridional, holoblastic, equal
2 blastomeres β†’ right + left
2nd cleavage
Meridional, holoblastic, equal
4 blastomeres; grey crescent in 2 dorsal blastomeres
3rd cleavage
Horizontal / latitudinal; above equator; holoblastic unequal
8 blastomeres β†’ 4 micromeres + 4 macromeres
4th cleavage
Two synchronous meridional divisions
16 blastomeres
5th cleavage
Two simultaneous latitudinal divisions
32 blastomeres
6th cleavage
Irregular + asynchronous
Micromeres divide faster than macromeres
7th cleavage
Irregular divisions
Morula
❖ Blastomeres after 3rd Cleavage:

Table 1: Micromeres vs Macromeres

Blastomere
Position
Features
Micromeres
Upper 4 cells
Smaller, pigmented, no yolk
Macromeres
Lower 4 cells
Larger, non-pigmented, yolk-laden
❖ Morula: Solid mulberry-shaped ball of cells
❖ Blastula:
  • β€’
    Blastocoel appears toward animal hemisphere
  • β€’
    Frog blastula = coeloblastula
  • β€’
    Blastocoel contains albuminous fluid secreted by surrounding cells
β–’ Gastrulation:
❖ Definition: Conversion of blastula into 3-layered gastrula with archenteron
❖ Germ Layers:
  • β€’
    Ectoderm
  • β€’
    Mesoderm
  • β€’
    Endoderm
❖ Gastrulation Movements:

Table 1: Movements in Frog Gastrulation

Movement
Meaning / Event
Epiboly
Migration + spreading of micromeres over embryo
Invagination
Infolding below equator under grey crescent midpoint β†’ slit + blastopore
Involution
Chordamesoderm cells sink inward + move anteriorly along blastocoel roof
Ingression
Individual vegetal cells migrate into embryo interior
❖ Involution Importance: Failure of involution β†’ gastrulation stops β†’ development halts
❖ Cavities / Openings:

Table 1: Gastrula Structures

Structure
Meaning / Fate
Archenteron
Future gut cavity
Blastopore
Opens into archenteron; gives rise to anus in frog
Yolk plug
Endodermal plug closing blastopore
❖ End of Gastrulation:
  • β€’
    Blastocoel reduces
  • β€’
    Yolk plug closes blastopore
  • β€’
    Yolk plug side β†’ posterior side of future tadpole
β–’ Neurula:

Table 1: Neurulation

Process / Formation
Point
Neurulation
Occurs after gastrulation
Neural tube
Formed from ectoderm
Notochord / Notogenesis
Notochord formation
Gut
Formed from archenteron / endodermal region
β–’ Metamorphosis:
❖ Hormone: Thyroxine from thyroid gland initiates metamorphosis
❖ Tadpole Nature: Herbivorous
❖ Influencing Factors:

Table 1: Factors Affecting Metamorphosis

Factor
Effect
Food abundance
Delays metamorphosis
Food deficiency
Favours metamorphosis
❖ Changes:
  1. Feeding stops; tail stores provide nutrition
  2. Tail shortens
  3. Larval epidermis lost
  4. Horny jaws lost
  5. Skin glands develop
  6. Lungs become functional
  7. Gill clefts close
  8. Blood vascular system modified
  9. True jaws formed
  10. Eyes move to top + bulge
  11. Tongue enlarges
  12. Intestine shortens
  13. Stomach + liver enlarge
  14. Forelimbs develop
  15. Young frog leaves water
  16. Feeds + grows
  17. Remaining tail disappears
β–’ High-Yield Recall:

Table 1: Frog Development One-Liners

Fact
Answer
Frog breeding season
Rainy season / June–September
Mating call
Croaking by vocal sacs
False copulation
Amplexus
Amplexus purpose
Simultaneous gamete discharge
Ovulation
Egg release from ovary into body cavity
Spawning
Egg laying by female frog
Spawn
Cluster / mass of eggs
Frog egg yolk amount
Mesolecithal
Frog egg yolk distribution
Telolecithal
Animal hemisphere
Upper pigmented part
Vegetal hemisphere
Lower unpigmented yolk-rich part
Fertilization in frog
External in water
Sperm entry
Animal hemisphere
Grey crescent
Opposite sperm entry; future dorsal side
Sperm entry point
Future anterior side
Reception cone
Sperm entry region
1st cleavage
Meridional, holoblastic, equal
2nd cleavage
Meridional, holoblastic, equal
3rd cleavage
Horizontal / latitudinal, unequal
32-cell stage
After 5th cleavage
Morula
Solid mulberry-like ball
Frog blastula
Coeloblastula
Blastocoel position
Toward animal hemisphere
Gastrulation
3 germ-layer formation
Archenteron
Future gut cavity
Blastopore fate in frog
Anus
Yolk plug
Endodermal; closes blastopore
Yolk plug side
Future posterior side
Neurulation
Neural tube formation
Metamorphosis hormone
Thyroxine
Tadpole diet
Herbivorous