AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 248, Issue 6 709-R716, Copyright © 1985 by American Physiological Society
Morphology of isolated crustacean larval salt glands
R. J. Lowy and F. P. Conte
Larval salt glands isolated from the naupliar brine shrimp (Artemia salina)
were examined using light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron
microscopy. These methods demonstrated that most cellular and subcellular
features of the in vitro organ compared favorably with those seen in vivo.
This salt gland measures 130 micron in diameter and is comprised of 50-70
secretory cells, which are of a single epithelial cell type. Characteristic
ultrastructural features that are well preserved include apical to basal
cell polarity, apical plasma membrane projections, and the extent of the
basolateral tubular labyrinth and its association with numerous
mitochondria. Some features that have been altered are a decrease in
cell-cell contact, separation of septate junctions, and expansion of
tubular labyrinth lumens and mitochondrial cristae. Use of this preparation
has allowed examination of the salt gland cell's hemocoelic surface for the
first time and provided information about the ultrastructure of the tufts
formed by the apical plasma membrane.
