SHORT COMMUNICATION FILAMENT POSITION IN FISH GILLS IS INFLUENCED BY A SMOOTH MUSCLE INNERVATED BY ADRENERGIC NERVES

• Main Author: Stefan Nilsson
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1985
• Subjects: Key words; Gadus morhua; gills; adrenergic nerves. 434
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.519.2796; http://jeb.biologists.org/content/118/1/433.full.pdf

The two rows of filaments on fish gill arches are arranged in the respiratory water current to maintain a continuous 'gill curtain'. The position of the filaments is controlled mainly by striated adductor muscles, which can draw together the filaments, and also by the elasticity of the cartilaginous filamental skeleton (gill rods) which tends to keep the filaments extended in water. In addition, the striated abductor muscles (which link the filamental rods and the gill arch bone) are arranged to increase the angle between the two rows of filaments (Riess, 1881;