Electrical stimulation of RNA and protein synthesis in the frog erythrocyte

Mature nucleated amphibian erythrocytes can be stimulated to undergo morphological changes resembling de-differentiation when exposed to small amounts of electric current. Puromycin and cyclohexamide will inhibit these morphological changes, and cytochemical staining indicates that RNA synthesis begins in concert with the changes in morphology. Autoradiographic studies show that the erythrocytes exposed to electric current synthesize RNA and protein whereas the erythrocytes not exposed to current do not make appreciable amounts of macromolecules. Electrophoretic separation of proteins from stimulated cells exhibit a band pattern different from that of unstimulated erythrocytes, and scintillation counting shows that some of the new proteins have been synthesized after electrical stimulation.