Summary
The anatomy of the blood supply to the gills of the dogfish, Scyliorhinus canicula, is described. The anatomical basis for a counter-current exchange system at the respiratory surfaces is reported. Within the interbranchial septum there is a capillary network joining all the afferent branchial arterioles of the gill. The structure of the walls of the corpus cavernosum is found to be of smooth muscle cells supported by a basal lamina and connective tissue and lined by endothelial cells containing phagocytic vesicles. Both the capillary network and corpus cavernosum are suggested to function in smoothing the pressure pulses of the blood flow. Pre- and post-lamellar vessels and pre- and post-lamellar sphincters are described. The sphincters are thought to control the number of secondary lamellae physiologically in the respiratory circuit, and by retaining blood within nonperfused lamellae to act in conjunction with pillar cells (contracting in antagonism to the hydrostatic skeleton of the blood) to maintain the rigidity of secondary lamellae in the water current.
Whorls of cells of unknown function are found within the interbranchial septum. In the epithelium lining the water channel large cells having a complexly branching plasma membrane and a very large central vacuole occurs. The cytoplasm lining the lumen contains numerous vacuoles each surrounded by a double membrane.
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This work formed part of a thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Science at the University of Bristol. I should like to thank Professor G.M. Hughes for the use of facilities in the Department of Zoology, University of Bristol.
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Wright, D.E. The structure of the gills of the elasmobranch, Scyliorhinus canicula (L.). Z.Zellforsch 144, 489–509 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307376
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307376