A stereological comparison of villous and microvillous surfaces in small intestines of frugivorous and entomophagous bats: species, inter-individual and craniocaudal differences.

1997 ◽  
Vol 200 (18) ◽  
pp. 2415-2423 ◽  
Author(s):  
A N Makanya ◽  
J N Maina ◽  
T M Mayhew ◽  
S A Tschanz ◽  
P H Burri

The extents of functional surfaces (villi, microvilli) have been estimated at different longitudinal sites, and in the entire small intestine, for three species of bats belonging to two feeding groups: insect- and fruit-eaters. In all species, surface areas and other structural quantities tended to be greatest at more cranial sites and to decline caudally. The entomophagous bat (Miniopterus inflatus) had a mean body mass (coefficient of variation) of 8.9 g (5%) and a mean intestinal length of 20 cm (6%). The surface area of the basic intestinal tube (primary mucosa) was 9.1 cm2 (10%) but this was amplified to 48 cm2 (13%) by villi and to 0.13 m2 (20%) by microvilli. The total number of microvilli per intestine was 4 x 10(11) (20%). The average microvillus had a diameter of 8 nm (10%), a length of 1.1 microns (22%) and a membrane surface area of 0.32 micron 2 (31%). In two species of fruit bats (Epomophorus wahlbergi and Lisonycteris angolensis), body masses were greater and intestines longer, the values being 76.0 g (18%) and 76.9 g (4%), and 73 cm (16%) and 72 cm (7%), respectively. Surface areas were also greater, amounting to 76 cm2 (26%) and 45 cm2 (8%) for the primary mucosa, 547 cm2 (29%) and 314 cm2 (16%) for villi and 2.7 m2 (23%) and 1.5 m2 (18%) for microvilli. An increase in the number of microvilli, 33 x 10(11) (19%) and 15 x 10(11) (24%) per intestine, contributed to the more extensive surface area but there were concomitant changes in the dimensions of microvilli. Mean diameters were 94 nm (8%) and 111 nm (4%), and mean lengths were 2.8 microns (12%) and 2.9 microns (10%), respectively. Thus, an increase in the surface area of the average microvillus to 0.83 micron 2 (12%) and 1.02 microns 2 (11%) also contributed to the greater total surface area of microvilli. The lifestyle-related differences in total microvillous surface areas persisted when structural quantities were normalised for the differences in body masses. The values for total microvillous surface area were 148 cm2g-1 (20%) in the entomophagous bat, 355 cm2g-1 (20%) in E. wahlbergi and 192 cm2g-1 (17%) in L. angolensis. This was true despite the fact that the insecteater possessed a greater length of intestine per unit of body mass: 22 mm g-1 (8%) versus 9-10 mm g-1 (9-10%) for the fruit-eaters.

1983 ◽  
Vol 217 (1207) ◽  
pp. 191-213 ◽  

Purkinje strands from both ventricles of adult mongrel dogs were excised, and electrical properties were studied by the voltage-clamp technique. The strands were then examined with light and electron microscopy and structural properties were analysed by morphometric techniques. The canine Purkinje strand contains (by volume) about 28% myocyte and 55% dense outer connective tissue. The remainder of the volume is taken up by the inner shell of loosely packed connective tissue within 10 μm of a myocyte membrane. These volume fractions vary considerably from one strand to another. Clefts less than 10 μm wide occupy 18% of the myocyte volume and clefts less than 1 μm wide occupy 1%. The membrane surface area of the myocytes can be divided into three categories by reference to the size of the adjacent cleft. About 47.8% of the membrane surface area faces clefts wider than 1 μm, another 22.2% faces clefts between 0.1 and 1 μm wide, and the final 30% faces clefts less than 0.1 μm wide. The surface area facing the narrowest clefts (less than 0.1 μm wide) is divided between nexuses 3%, desmosomes 10%, and unspecialized membrane 17% (each figure is expressed as a percentage of the total surface area of myocyte membrane). The canine Purkinje strand has a more favourable anatomy than the sheep Purkinje strand for most physiological experiments. We expect that the complicating effects of series resistance and change in the concentration of extracellular ions will be much smaller than in sheep strands, but still not negligible.


1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 876-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. S. Reynolds

The beaver, Castor canadensis, is a large, herbivorous, semiaquatic rodent. Beaver forage on land as well as in water; thus functional compromise between competing activities should result in a less streamlined body shape than expected for a similarly sized marine mammal. Standard morphometrics and surface areas of 70 Wisconsin beaver ranging in size from 5 to 35 kg were measured. Geometric similarity of surface area was maintained during growth (i.e., area was proportional to body mass raised to the 2/3 power). Scaly-tail area was positively allometric with body mass; hind foot web area was weakly negatively allometric. The surface area of the unfurred extremities (hind feet and scaly tail) comprised 30% of the total surface area of adults and over 50% for younger beaver. The average surface area of 21 adult beaver (mean body mass = 20 kg) was 0.52 m2. This value was significantly lower (P < 0.001) than predicted from the Meeh equation for terrestrial mammals, but similar to that expected for a marine mammal of equivalent mass. Body shape was described by the fineness ratio (a hydrodynamic index of streamlining). The fineness ratio for beaver was 4.8, a value similar to that for phocid seals. Therefore, in spite of expected constraints on body shape imposed by herbivory and the competing demands of terrestrial and aquatic foraging, beaver do not differ significantly in overall shape from other, more aquatic, species. However, shape alone is not a reliable indicator of either hydrodynamic or energetic efficiency. Future comparative studies should incorporate both phylogeny and biomechanical data into evaluations of mammalian morphology.


Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 538
Author(s):  
María Soto-Herranz ◽  
Mercedes Sánchez-Báscones ◽  
Juan Manuel Antolín-Rodríguez ◽  
Matías B. Vanotti ◽  
Pablo Martín-Ramos

Ammonia losses from manure pose serious problems for ecosystems and human and animal health. Gas-permeable membranes (GPMs) constitute a promising approach to address the challenge of reducing farm ammonia emissions and to attain the EU’s Clean Air Package goals. In this study, the effect of NH3-N concentration, membrane surface area, acid flux, and type of capture solution on ammonia recovery was investigated for a suspended GPM system through three experiments, in which ammonia was released from a synthetic solution (NH4Cl + NaHCO3 + allylthiourea). The effect of two surface areas (81.7 and 163.4 cm2) was first evaluated using three different synthetic N emitting concentrations (3000, 6000, and 12,000 mg NH3-N∙L−1) and keeping the flow of acidic solution (1N H2SO4) constant (0.8 L·h−1). A direct relationship was found between the amount of NH3 captured and the NH3-N concentration in the N-emitting solution, and between the amount of NH3 captured and the membrane surface area at the two lowest concentrations. Nonetheless, the use of a larger membrane surface barely improved ammonia capture at the highest concentration, pointing to the existence of other limiting factors. Hence, ammonia capture was then studied using different acid flow rates (0.8, 1.3, 1.6, and 2.1 L∙h−1) at a fixed N emitting concentration of 6000 mg NH3-N∙L−1 and a surface area of 122.5 cm2. A higher acid flow rate (0.8–2.1 L∙h−1) resulted in a substantial increase in ammonia absorption, from 165 to 262 mg of NH3∙d−1 over a 14-day period. Taking the parameters that led to the best results in experiments 1 and 2, different types of ammonia capture solutions (H2SO4, water and carbonated water) were finally compared under refrigeration conditions (at 2 °C). A high NH3 recovery (81% in 7 days), comparable to that obtained with the H2SO4 solution (88%), was attained when chilled water was used as the capture solution. The presented results point to the need to carefully optimize the emitter concentration, flow rate, and type of capture solution to maximize the effectiveness of suspended GPM systems, and suggest that chilled water may be used as an alternative to conventional acidic solutions, with associated savings.


1992 ◽  
Vol 101 (4) ◽  
pp. 907-913 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.J. Cannon ◽  
J.A. Swanson

Murine bone marrow-derived macrophages, which measure 13.8 +/− 2.3 microns diameter in suspension, can ingest IgG-opsonized latex beads greater than 20 microns diameter. A precise assay has allowed the determination of the phagocytic capacity, and of physiological parameters that limit that capacity. Ingestion of beads larger than 15 microns diameter required IgG-opsonization, and took 30 minutes to reach completion. Despite the dependence on Fc-receptors for phagocytosis of larger beads, cells reached their limit before all cell surface Fc-receptors were occupied. The maximal membrane surface area after frustrated phagocytosis of opsonized coverslips was similar to the membrane surface area required to engulf particles at the limiting diameter, indicating that the capacity was independent of particle shape. Vacuolation of the lysosomal compartment with sucrose, which expanded endocytic compartments, lowered the phagocytic capacity. This decrease was reversed when sucrose vacuoles were collapsed by incubation of cells with invertase. These experiments indicate that the phagocytic capacity is limited by the amount of available membrane, rather than by the availability of Fc-receptors. The capacity was also reduced by depolymerization of cytoplasmic microtubules with nocodazole. Nocodazole did not affect the area of maximal cell spreading during frustrated phagocytosis, but did alter the shape of the spread cells. Thus, microtubules may coordinate cytoplasm for engulfment of the largest particles.


2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
NS Chowdhury ◽  
FMM Islam ◽  
F Zafreen ◽  
BA Begum ◽  
N Sultana ◽  
...  

Introduction: Patients with end stage renal disease require 12 hours of haemodialysis per week in three equal sessions (4 hours/day for 3 days/week). But the duration and frequency of treatment can be reduced by increasing the surface area of the dialyzer membrane. Methods: In this prospective study 40 patients of end stage renal disease receiving haemodialysis for more than six months were included to observe the effects of increment in the surface area of the dialyzer membrane on the adequacy of haemodialysis. Result: It was observed that 20 patients receiving haemodialysis on a dialyzer with membrane surface area of 1.2 m² did not have satisfactory solute clearance index. Urea reduction ratio was 45.9 ± 3.03 and fractional urea clearance (Kt/V) was 0.76 ± 0.09. On the other hand patients (20 cases) receiving haemodialysis on a dialyzer with membrane surface area of 1.3 m² had a urea reduction ratio 50.76± 5.16 and fractional urea clearance (Kt/V) 0.91 ± 0.16. All the patients of both groups received dialysis for 8 hours/week in two equal sessions (4 hours/day for 2 days/week). Statistically the increment was significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study reveals, adequacy of dialysis can be increased by increasing the surface area of the dialyzer membrane. So, considering the poor socioeconomic condition of Bangladesh and patients' convenience, a short duration, low cost dialysis regime can be tried by increasing the surface area of dialyzer membrane. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jafmc.v7i2.10387 JAFMC 2011; 7(2): 9-11


2017 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
pp. 256-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Appukutty Manickam ◽  
Laurence A.G. Marshman ◽  
Ross Johnston

2018 ◽  
Vol 162 ◽  
pp. 03016
Author(s):  
Alaa Dawood ◽  
Yousif Kalaf ◽  
Nagham Abdulateef ◽  
Mohammed Falih

Water level and distribution is very essential in almost all life aspects. Natural and artificial lakes represent a large percentage of these water bodies in Iraq. In this research the changes in water levels are observed by calculating the areas of five different lakes in five different regions and two different marshes in two different regions of the country, in a period of 12 years (2001 - 2012), archived remotely sensed images were used to determine surface areas around lakes and marshes in Iraq for the chosen years . Level of the lakes corresponding to satellite determined surface areas were retrieved from remotely sensed data .These data were collected to give explanations on lake level and surface area fluctuations. It is important to determine these areas at different water levels to know areas which are being flooded in addition to the total area inundated .The behavior of hydrological regime of these lakes during the period was assessed using an integration of remote sensing and GIS techniques which found that the total surface area of the lakes had diminished and their water volumes reduced. The study further revealed that the levels of the lakes surfaces had lowered through these years.


1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 861-871 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Ulrich ◽  
R. Quadroni ◽  
H. R. Luscher

1. Voltage-clamp, current-clamp, and morphological data were obtained from visually identified motoneurons in organotypic cocultures of rat embryonic spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia, and skeletal muscle. The cells were injected with Biocytin during whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and stained with horseradish peroxidase. 2. The somata and dendritic trees of the cells were reconstructed with a semiautomatic reconstruction system. The motoneurons had a common multipolar shape. An elliptic soma gave rise to 3-9 stem dendrites with a mean diameter of 2.5 +/- 0.9 (SD) micron terminating in 24 +/- 7 dendritic endings. The mean total dendritic path length was 3,306 +/- 1,075 microns. The mean total membrane surface area was 15,594 +/- 10,404 microns 2 with a dendritic to somatic membrane surface area ratio of 3.4 +/- 1.4 (n = 7 cells). 3. The ratio between the sum of the diameters of the two daughter branches and the diameter of the parental branch each raised to the 3/2 power at all branch points was 1.3 +/- 0.28 (n = 8 cells). The dendritic trees of the cells tapered continuously from the soma to the distal ends. The mean normalized dendritic trunk parameter of all cells was 0.62 +/- 0.22. 4. The motoneurons had a mean input resistance RN of 498 +/- 374 M delta, a mean membrane time constant (tau m) of 22 +/- 4.6 ms, and a mean dendritic dominance (rho) of 2.7 +/- 0.86 (n = 5 cells). The mean electronic length (L) calculated from tau m and the slowest voltage-clamp time constant (tau VC1) was 0.7 +/- 0.04 (n = 7 cells). 5. The specific membrane capacitance (Cm) estimated from the charge of the capacitive current during a voltage step and the total membrane surface area was 1.08 +/- 0.3 microF/cm2 (n = 6 cells). 6. Compartmental computer models were constructed of individual cells. Experimental and simulated voltage transients were matched with Cm = 1 microF/cm2, a uniform membrane resistivity (Rm) = tau m/Cm and a cytosolic resistivity (Ri) of 308 +/- 39 omega.cm (n = 3 cells). 7. The mean electrotonic length of the dendritic paths was 0.83 +/- 0.2 (n = 5 cells). The mean input resistance at the dendritic terminals (RT) was 1,413 +/- 260 M omega. Synaptic conductances were applied at all distal dendritic compartments of the model cells. The resulting synaptic currents were calculated at the input site and at the soma. The mean transient current attenuation ratio was 4.7 +/- 1.7 under idealized voltage-clamp conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


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