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Ultrafiltration in the Gastropod Heart

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Abstract

IT is generally agreed that the urine of most molluscs is produced initially by ultrafiltration of the haemolymph into the pencardial cavity, and that the composition of this initial filtrate is modified by the kidney before being expelled as urine1–7. The only exceptions are the terrestrial pulmonate gastropods, in which urine seems to be filtered directly into the kidney8,9. Pierce10, however, is not convinced that the heart is the filtration site in lamellibranchs, and suggestions that ultrafiltration occurs through the wall of the auricle in most gastropods were not substantiated by ultrastructural studies of terrestrial and freshwater pulmonates11.

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ANDREWS, E., LITTLE, C. Ultrafiltration in the Gastropod Heart. Nature 234, 411–412 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/234411a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/234411a0

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