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Surface ultrastructure of the gill arch of the killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus , from seawater and freshwater, with special reference to the morphology of apical crypts of chloride cells
Author(s) -
Hossler Fred E.,
Musil George,
Karnaky Karl J.,
Epstein Franklin H.
Publication year - 1985
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.1051850309
Subject(s) - fundulus , killifish , biology , ultrastructure , morphology (biology) , anatomy , seawater , gill , zoology , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology , fishery
The surface ultrastructure of the gill arches of the killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus , adapted to seawater or freshwater, was found to be similar to that reported for other euryhaline teleosts. Two rows of gill filaments (about 42 filaments per row) extended posterolaterally, and two rows of gill rakers (about 10 rakers per row) extended anteromedially from each arch. Leaf‐like respiratory lamellae protruded along both sides of each filament, from its base to its apex. The distributions, sizes, and numbers of various surface cells and structures were also determined. All surfaces were covered by a mosaic of pavement cells, which measured about 7 × 4 μm and exhibited concentrically arranged surface ridges. Taste buds were especially prominent on the rakers and the pharyngeal surfaces of the first and second gill arches, but were often replaced by horny spines on the third and fourth gill arches. Apical crypts of chloride cells occurred mostly on the surfaces of the gill filaments adjacent to the afferent artery of the filament. In seawater adapted killifish, crypts resembled narrow, deep holes along the borders of adjacent pavement cells, had openings of about 2 μm 2 , and occurred at a frequency of about 1 per 70 μ 2 of surface area. In freshwater fish, the crypts usually had larger openings (about 10 μ 2 ), occurred less frequently (1 per 123 μ 2 ), and exhibited many cellular projections in their interiors. Changes in crypt morphology may be related to the ion transport function of chloride cells.