C. Pierrot et al., PERFUSION OF GILLS ISOLATED FROM THE HYPER-HYPOREGULATING CRAB PACHYGRAPSUS-MARMORATUS (CRUSTACEA, DECAPODA) - ADAPTATION OF A METHOD, Archives of physiology and biochemistry, 103(4), 1995, pp. 401-409
This paper reports the adaptation of a branchial perfusion technique t
o the gills of the small hyper-hyporegulating crab, Pachygrapsus marmo
ratus. The physiological quality of the preparation has been establish
ed and preliminary measurements of the transepithelial potential diffe
rence (PD) and sodium fluxes were reported. A clear-cut distinction ha
s to be made between anterior and posterior gills. With symmetrical ba
thing conditions (same saline on both sides of the epithelium), a sign
ificant transepithelial PD was measured only in posterior gills isolat
ed from crabs acclimated to dilute sea water. This hemolymph-side nega
tive PD is shown to require biological energy and to be sensitive to o
uabain. Na+ influx was larger than efflux, indicating the occurrence o
f a net inward of Na+. The active nature of the Na+ influx was establi
shed.