Effects of atrial natriuretic peptide on the unicellular Tetrahymena pyriformis model

The vertebral hormone, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) has characteristic effects in Tetrahymena cells. ANP is able to induce the release of sodium ions, probably via the membrane rather than the contractile vacuole. The hormone is a potent inhibitor of Chinese ink-phagocytosis. A 10(-12) M concentration of ANP has the maximum positive effect on the division of cells but long-term treatments indicate the presence of a down-regulation-like mechanism. ANP has a strong chemoattractant characteristic between 10(-13) and 10(-11) M concentrations. Significant concentration dependent FITC-ANP binding at pretreatments of 10(-12) M suggest the presence of special receptor-dependent mechanisms which are responsible for the development of hormonal imprinting. The similarities between the most effective concentrations (10(-13) - 10(-12) M) and the human serum level of ANP shows that the effects of ANP have a more evolutionary background than previously considered.