Journal Article
The fine structure of ampullary and tuberous electroreceptors in the South American blind catfish Pseudocetopsis spec.
Andres, K.H., von Diiring, M. and Petrasch, E.
Record Number:
5540
Year:
1988
Journal:
Anatomy and Embryology
Pages:
523-535
Volume:
177
Abstract:
Summary. Two types of electroreceptors, the ampullary and
the tuberous electroreceptor (silurid knollenorgan) in the
epidermis of the catfish, Pseudocetopsis spec., were investigated
with semithin and ultrathin serial sections. The ampullary
organ contains one or two sensory cells which are
embedded in supporting cells at the base of open epithelial
canals. They bear some slender microvilli on their apical
surface and form several synaptic bars. The afferent myelinated
nerve fiber arborizes in the connective tissue papilla
and looses its myelin sheath about 30 lam below the supporting
cell layer. A second thin myelinated axon occur
up to the supporting cell layer. The tuberous electroreceptor
organ contains one large receptor cell. Most of the cell
body is exposed to the lumen of a specialized proximal
canal segment and is closely covered with microvilli. A single
myelinated axon looses its myelin sheath within the supporting
cell layer about 1 ~tm before terminating as a flat
calyx at the base of the sensory cell. A functional significance
of the two types of receptors will be discussed.
Key words: Ampullary electroreceptor - Tuberous electroreceptor
- Sensory innervation - Scanning and transmission
electronmicroscopy Pseudocetopsis spec. (catfish)
Times Cited:
2