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Cellular and epithelial adjustments to altered salinity in the gill and opercular epithelium of a cichlid fish (Oreochromis mossambicus)

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Abstract

Morphological features of the gill and opercular epithelia of tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) have been compared in fish acclimated to either fresh water (FW) or hypersaline water (60‰ S) by scanning electron and fluorescence microscopy. In hyperosmoregulating, i.e., FW-acclimated, tilapia only those mitochondria-rich (MR) cells present on the filament epithelium of the gill were exposed to the external medium. After acclimation of fish to hypersaline water these cells become more numerous, hypertrophy extensively, and form apical crypts not only in the gill filament but also in the opercular epithelium. Regardless of salinity, MR cells were never found to be exposed to the external medium on the secondary lamellae. In addition, two types of pavement cells were identified having distinct morphologies, which were unaffected by salinity. The gill filaments and the inner operculum were generally found to be covered by pavement cells with microridges, whereas the secondary lamellae were covered exclusively by smooth pavement cells.

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  1. Dietmar Kültz

    Present address: Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Cordley Hall 3029, 97331-2914, Corvallis, OR, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fachbereich Biologie, Wissenschaftsbereich Tierphysiologie, Universität Rostock, Universitätsplatz 2, D-18055, Rostock, Germany

    Dietmar Kültz & Karl Jürss

  2. Elektronenmikroskopisches Zentrum, Universität Rostock, Strempelstrasse 14, D-18057, Rostock, Germany

    Ludwig Jonas

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  2. Karl Jürss
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Kültz, D., Jürss, K. & Jonas, L. Cellular and epithelial adjustments to altered salinity in the gill and opercular epithelium of a cichlid fish (Oreochromis mossambicus). Cell Tissue Res 279, 65–73 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300692

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300692

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