The morphology of the gills of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) emb
ryos was studied by light and electron microscopy at four different de
velopmental stages. Embryos were examined during gill arch formation (
stages 22-24, Vernier, '69), development of the gill filaments (hatchi
ng stage), and formation of gill lamellae (stage 36). Our observations
showed that the gill arches are covered by endoderm of the pharyngeal
pouches and ectoderm of the gill furrows, which meet to form a closin
g plate. Ultrastructural evidence indicates that secretion of mature h
atching gland cells around the closing plates is the mechanism respons
ible for their perforation and is consistent with the hypothesis of Mi
ller et al. ('93) that cellular reorganization is a major mechanism of
initial perforation of closing plates. Epithelia of the gill filament
s and gill lamellae are composed of undifferentiated basal epithelial
cells, outer pavement cells, and specialized chloride cells and goblet
cells. The appearance of these cells and their ultrastructural featur
es during embryonic development are correlated with gill function. It
is not until stage 36 that gill epithelia exhibit adultlike ultrastruc
tural features. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.