The morphology of the kidney in young adult anadromous sea lampreys, Petromyzon marinus L., adapted to seawater. I. General morphology and fine structure of the renal corpuscle and the proximal segments

Abstract

The morphology of the opisthonephric kidney of young adult anadromous sea lampreys, Petromyzon marinus L., was examined at regular intervals during the gradual acclimation of these recently metamorphosed individuals to full-strength seawater. No alteration of the renal corpuscle, the ciliated neck segment, or the proximal pars convoluta and pars recta segments is observed through 40% seawater, but dilation of ventral tubules, the accumulation of a white precipitate, and specific fine structural changes in the cells of the proximal segments are noted in 60% seawater. The ultrastructural alterations are more conspicuous in 80 and 100% seawater and may reflect the involvement of the proximal segment in secretion, likely magnesium and sulphate ions. Flattening of the epithelium in proximal segments, enlargement of lateral intercellular spaces in the recta segment, and apparent increases in numbers of intermediate segments at levels of 80% seawater is more obvious in animals adapted to 100% seawater. The smaller cross-sectional area of the renal corpuscle in animals adapted to 80 and 100% seawater compared with the area in lower salinity might explain the previously found reduced glomerular filtration rate which accompanies seawater acclimation in anadromous lampreys.