Summary
The structural and ultrastructural characteristics of the heart of Channichthys rhinoceratus, an antarctic teleost devoid of respiratory pigments, are described and compared with those obtained from the red-blooded related species Notothenia rossii.
The heart of the icefish is characterized by a spongy myocardium supplied with a highly developed arterial coronary system. This vasculature includes a subepicardial system and an extensive intratrabecular capillary network. Arterial hilar network and Thebesian vessels may also be present. The bulbus arteriosus shows unusually large spheroid structures located in the middle layer of the wall.
Both white- and red-blooded species display comparable myocardial cell morphology and organelle distribution. However, the mitochondrial cristae of the former are more densely packed and the sarcolemma possesses numerous caveolae. A large proportion of non-contractile cells is also found in the icefish ventricular wall.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Breisch EA, White F, Jones HM, Laws M (1983) Ultrastructural morphometry of the myocardium of Thunnus alagunga. Cell Tissue Res 233:427–438
Driedzic WR (1983) The fish heart as a model system for the study of myoglobin. Comp Biochem Physiol 76A: 487–493
Driedzic WR, Steward JM (1982) Myoglobin content and the activities of enzymes of energy metabolism in red and white fish hearts. J Comp Physiol 149:67–73
Driedzic WR, Stewart JM, Scott DL (1982) The protective effect of myoglobin during hypoxic perfusion of isolated fish hearts. J Mol Cell Cardiol 14:673–677
Feller G (1983) Comparaison des protéines sarcoplasmiques de deux poissons antarctiques, Channichthys rhinoceratus, dépourvu de pigments respiratoires, et Notothenia magellanica de formule sanguine normale. Bull Soc Royale Sci Liège 52:43–50
Feller G, Bassleer R, Goessens G, Hamoir G (1983) Relative size and myocardial structure of the heart of an antarctic fish devoid of haemoglobin and myoglobin, Channichthys rhinoceratus. J Zool (London) 199:51–57
Hamoir G, Gerardin-Otthiers N (1980) Differentiation of the sarcoplasmic proteins of white, yellowish and cardiac muscles of an antarctic hemoglobin-free fish, Champsocephalus gunnari. Comp Biochem Physiol 65B: 199–206
Hemmingsen EA, Douglas EL (1970) Respiratory characteristics of the hemoglobin-free fish Chaenocephalus aceratus. Comp Biochem Physiol 33:733–744
Hemmingsen EA, Douglas EL (1972) Respiratory and circulatory responses in a hemoglobin-free fish, Chaenocephalus aceratus, to changes in temperature and oxygen tension. Comp Biochem Physiol 43A: 1031–1043
Hemmingsen EA, Douglas EL, Johansen K, Millard RW (1972) Aortic blood flow and cardiac output in the hemoglobin-free fish Chaenocephalus aceratus. Comp Biochem Physiol 43A: 1045–1051
Holeton GF (1970) Oxygen uptake and circulation by an hemoglobinless antarctic fish Chaenocephalus aceratus, compared with three red-blooded antarctic fish. Comp Biochem Physiol 34:457–471
Holeton GF (1975) Respiration and morphometrics of hemoglobinless antarctic icefish. In: Cech JJ et al. (eds) Respiration of marine organisms. Trigom publ, S. Portland, Me, pp 198–211
Hureau JC, Petit D, Fine JM, Marneux M (1977) New cytological, biochemical and physiological data on the colorless blood of the Channichthyidae (Pisces, Teleosteans, Perciformes). In: Adaptations within antarctic ecosystems. Gulf Publ comp, Book Division, Houston TX
Jakubowski M, Byczkowska-Smyk W (1970) Respiratory surfaces of the white-blooded fish Chaenichthys rugosus Regan (Perciformes). Pol Arch Hydrobiol 17:273–281
Johnston IA, Fitch N, Zummo G, Wood RE, Harrison P, Tola B (1983) Morphometric and ultrastructural features of the ventricular myocardium of the haemoglobin-less icefish Chaenocephalus aceratus. Comp Biochem Physiol 76A: 475–480
Kilarski W, Smialowska E, Friedhuber A (1982) Histological analysis of fibres in myotomes of antarctic fish II. Morphometry of muscles fibers and capillaries. Z Mikrosk Anat Forsch 96:791–801
Leknes IL (1980) Ultrastructure of atrial endocardium and myocardium in three species of Gadidae (Teleostei). Cell Tissue Res 210:1–10
MacIntyre A, Driedzic WR (1981) Activities of enzymes in cardiac energy metabolism. Can J Zool 59:325–328
Poupa O, Lindström L (1983) Comparative and scaling aspects of heart and body weights with reference to blood supply of cardiac fibers. Comp Biochem Physiol 76A:413–421
Poupa O, Lindström L, Maresca A, Tota B (1983) Cardiac growth, myoglobin, proteins and DNA in developing tuna (Thunnus thynnus thynnus L.). Comp Biochem Physiol 70A:217–222
Priede IG (1976) Functional morphology of the bulbus arteriosus of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson). J Fish Biol 9:209–216
Ruud JT (1954) Vertebrates without erythrocytes and blood pigments. Nature (London) 173:848–850
Ruud JT (1965) The ice fish. Sc Am 213:108–114
Santer RM, Greer Walker M, Emerson L, Witthames PR (1983) On the morphology of the heart ventricle in marine teleost fish (Teleostei). Comp Biochem Physiol 76A: 453–457
Steen JB, Berg T (1966) The gills of two species of haemoglobinfree fishes compared to those of other teleosts with a note on severe anaemia in an eel. Comp Biochem Physiol 18:517–526
Torato EA, Pisanti FA, Russo E, Russo G (1981) Characterization of lipofuscin granules found in central nervous system and myocardium of marine Teleostei. Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper L VII: 2047–2051
Tota B (1983) Vascular and metabolic zonation in the ventricular myocardium of mammals and fishes. Comp Biochem Physiol 76A: 423–437
Tota B, Cimini V, Salvatore G, Zummo G (1983) Comparative study of the arterial and lacunary systems of the ventricular myocardium of elasmobranch and teleost fishes. Am J Anat 167:15–32
Walesby NJ, Nicol CJM, Johnston IA (1982) Metabolic differentiation of muscle fibres from a haemoglobinless (Champsocephalus gunnari Lönnberg) and red-blooded (Notothenia rossi Fishers) Antarctic fish. Br Antarct Surv Bull 51:201–214
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Feller, G., Goessens, G., Gerday, C. et al. Heart structure and ventricular ultrastructure of hemoglobin- and myoglobin-free icefish Channichthys rhinoceratus . Cell Tissue Res. 242, 669–676 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225436
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225436