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A light and electron microscopic study of the heart of a crayfish, Procambarus clarkii (giraud). I. histology and histochemistry
Author(s) -
Howse Harold D.,
Ferrans Victor J.,
Hibbs Richard G.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1051310302
Subject(s) - biology , anatomy , crayfish , procambarus clarkii , adventitia , myocyte , myofibril , histology , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , genetics , fishery
The adventitia of the crayfish heart consists of about five layers of uninucleated cells that often contain large amounts of glycogen. The outer and inner boundaries of the adventitia are represented by amorphous, homogeneous layers that are rich in neutral and acidic carbohydrates. The myocardium has a trabeculated appearance, due to the branching and anastomosing of the muscle cells. Studies on the localization of various oxidative enzymes show that the mitochondria are contained principally in the cell periphery and the myofibrils in the cell core. Intercalated discs appear as dark, irregular lines that traverse the muscle cell at a level that corresponds to that of a Z band. The myocardial cells branch and radiate from loci that are formed either by a single stellate cell or by the common end‐to‐end junctions (intercalated discs) of several cells. The function of these loci is discussed. The local cardiac nervous system consists of a Y‐shaped ganglionic trunk that contains eight large anterior and eight small posterior nerve cells.