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Mucus and intestinal ion exchanges in the sea-water adapted eel,Anguilla anguilla L.

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Summary

  1. 1.

    Scanning electron microscopy of the intestinal epithelium in the cel showed an important mucus layer over the middle intestine.

  2. 2.

    Ion-selective microelectrodes (Na+, Cl−, K+) demonstrated several standing gradients of ion activities in the mucus layer.

  3. 3.

    The Na+ and Cl− gradients were identical and related to transepithelial NaCl absorption. They were cancelled by ouabain application on the serosal side.

  4. 4.

    Symmetrical substitution of Na+ or Cl− in the luminal and serosal Ringer solution gave results in agreement with the presence of an apical Na+−K+−2Cl− cotransport system, and of K+ channels.

  5. 5.

    The intestinal mucus appeared, at least in the middle part of the intestine, to act as a diffusion barrier essential to K+ recycling.

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Abbreviations

SW :

seawater

SEM :

scanning electron microscope

TEM :

transmission electron microscope

ISM :

ion-selective microelectrode

PD sm :

transepithelial potential difference relative to the muscosal side

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Zoologie, JE CNRS 033669, Université Louis Pasteur, F-67000, Strasbourg, France

    V. Simonneaux, W. Humbert & R. Kirsch

Authors
  1. V. Simonneaux
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  2. W. Humbert
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  3. R. Kirsch
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Simonneaux, V., Humbert, W. & Kirsch, R. Mucus and intestinal ion exchanges in the sea-water adapted eel,Anguilla anguilla L.. J Comp Physiol B 157, 295–306 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00693356

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