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- Title
Scale morphology of Prochilodus lineatus with emphasis on the scale epithelium.
- Authors
Alves, R. M. S.; Pereira, B. F.; Pitol, D. L.; Senhorini, J. A.; Alcântara-Rocha, RCG; Caetano, F. H.
- Abstract
The fish body is entirely covered by a thin, smooth and glandular epidermis, closely attached to the scales inserted on the dermis. The descriptive work on this tissue dates to twenty or thirty years ago, bears very little photographic record and does not focus on the scale epithelium, despite the fact that it is in direct contact with the environment. Thereupon, the present study characterizes the scale epithelium of Prochilodus lineatus, a robust species of fish. The observations show that the scale is completely covered by epithelium thicker on the proximal end of the scale, multilayered on the dorsal surface and undifferentiated on the ventral surface, and covered by mucous producing cells, mostly acid mu-cous. The scale is formed by plywood-like collagen matrix of collagen type III and supported by a network of elastic fi-bers on the ventral face. Differentiated cellular types are present, such as club cells, considered to be responsible for the release of alarm substances, which suggests possible use in environmental assessment as a non-invasive technique.
- Subjects
PROCHILODUS lineatus; FISH morphology; EPITHELIUM; PHOTOGRAPHY; FISH physiology; COLLAGEN; ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis
- Publication
Brazilian Journal of Biology, 2013, Vol 73, Issue 3, p637
- ISSN
1519-6984
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1590/S1519-69842013000300023