Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopic Observations of Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri) Gill
The rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) gill was examined with scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopic techniques as well as an improved glycol methacrylate embedding procedure for light microscopy. The gill epithelium on primary and secondary lamellae contained distinctive surface features consisting of whorled patterns of ridges (microfolds) with intervening grooves, measurements of which were correlated with measurements obtained from TEM tissue sections. The SEM and TEM data complimented each other concerning physical measurements and presence of lamellar ridges and grooves. The microfolds consisted of cellular membrane evaginations with furrows (grooves) between adjacent microfolds. The ridges and grooves on the primary lamellar surface were quite regular in their architecture whereas the ridges of secondary lamellae were farther apart and discontinuous. The gill raker surface also contained low ridges in a whorled pattern with wide intervening grooves. Small pores of variable diameter were observed on the secondary lamellar surface and much larger pores occurred on the primary lamellar and gill raker surface. TEM sections revealed the presence of chloride, pillar I and II, and epithelial cells and the fine structure of their relationship to the capillary bed. These observations were discussed with reference to their possible adaptive value to the trout. Key words: rainbow trout, branchial epithelium, primary lamella, secondary lamella, pillar cell, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy