Further Evidence for Na/NH, Exchange in Marine Teleost Fish

1977 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-220
Author(s):  
DAVID H. EVANS

1. Four species of marine teleosts were shown to possess an external-NH4-inhibited Na uptake from 1 mM-NaCl solutions. The inhibition was not due to changes in the transepithelial potential. 2. Injection of 2 μM-NH4/g fish stimulated Na uptake by Opsanus beta and also stimulated ammonia efflux, 50% of which was dependent upon external Na. 3. The ammonia efflux from three species was partially dependent upon external Na. 4. Na/NH4 exchange in O. beta could be reversed so that 22Na efflux could be stimulated by the addition of 200 mM-NH4 to the external solution. 5. These studies show clearly that marine teleosts possess an Na/NH4 exchange system in sea water which results in a net influx of Na into the fish.

1994 ◽  
Vol 193 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Claiborne ◽  
J Walton ◽  
D Compton-Mccullough

A number of studies have implied a linkage between acid­base and ion exchanges in both freshwater and seawater fish, although little is known about the branchial and renal acid­base transfers involved as the animals move between different salinities. To investigate the role of these transfers in a marine teleost fish as it is exposed to a dilute environment, we measured plasma acid­base values and net movements from fish to water of NH4+, HCO3- and H+ in long-horned sculpin (Myoxocephalus octodecimspinosus) placed in 100 %, 20 %, 8 % or 4 % sea water for 24­48 h. Renal excretion of H+ was also monitored in fish exposed to 4 % sea water. Sculpin proved to be somewhat euryhaline for they were able to maintain plasma ion and acid­base transfers in hypo-osmotic (20 %) sea water, but could not tolerate greater dilutions for more than several days. Plasma pH and carbon dioxide concentration (CCO2) increased in the 20 % and 8 % dilution groups, with CCO2 nearly doubling (control, 4.56 mmol l-1; 8 % group, 8.56 mmol l-1) as a result of a combined increase in the partial pressure of plasma CO2 (PCO2) and [HCO3-]. During a 44­46 h exposure, HCO3- transfers increased progressively in the most dilute water, with animals in the 8 % and 4 % groups exhibiting a net H+ loss that was smaller than that of seawater fish (control, 5.1 mmol kg-1; 8 %, 0.9 mmol kg-1; 4 %, -2.9 mmol kg-1). Animals exposed to 4 % sea water for 24 h and then returned to normal sea water had a variable plasma pH, an elevated CCO2 and a net efflux of H+ that effectively stopped (control, 0.10 mmol kg-1 h-1; 4 %, 0.02 mmol kg-1 h-1; seawater recovery, 0.20 mmol kg-1 h-1) during the low-salinity period. Renal acid excretion remained relatively constant throughout the experiment but only made up a significant portion (approximately 40 %) of the total acid transfers during the 4 % dilution period (control rate approximately 3 µmol kg-1 h-1: 3 % of branchial rate). We postulate that the increase in plasma CCO2 during exposure to low salinity may be due to mobilization of base from the intracellular bone compartment. The decrease in external salinity could induce base loss by alteration of gill ion exchanges (Na+/H+, Cl-/HCO3-) and/or changes in branchial HCO3- permeability. For the first time, we have shown that the effects of a dilute environment on acid­base transfers may be an important limitation to the survival of a euryhaline species in brackish or fresh water.


1976 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 529-538
Author(s):  
J. C. Carrier ◽  
D. H. Evans

(1) The marine teleost fish, Lagodon rhomboides, can only tolerate fresh water (5 mM Na) if Ca is also present (10 mM). Transfer to Ca-free fresh water is followed by a substantial increase in radioactive Na efflux with little or no change in the transepithelial potential. Addition of the chelating agent EDTA (2 mM) further increases Na efflux. Fish left in Ca-free fresh water for 2-5 h die with a total body Na less than 50% of that found in animals acclimated to Ca-supplemented fresh water. (2) Rates of Na uptake were measured on either sea-water-acclimated or Ca-supplemented fresh water-acclimated fish transferred to various low Na media. In both cases Na uptake has a high Km, is saturable, inhibited by external NH4, H and amiloride, and is not related to changes in the trans-epithelial potential. (3) It is suggested that L. rhomboides is dependent upon external Ca to decrease diffusional Na loss in low salinities so that a relatively inefficient Na uptake can balance diffusional and urinary Na loss.


2018 ◽  
pp. 71-82
Author(s):  
Thomas Milinkovitch ◽  
Stéphane Le Floch ◽  
Hélène Thomas-Guyon

2010 ◽  
Vol 298 (4) ◽  
pp. R870-R876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher A. Cooper ◽  
Jonathan M. Whittamore ◽  
Rod W. Wilson

Marine teleost fish continuously ingest seawater to prevent dehydration and their intestines absorb fluid by mechanisms linked to three separate driving forces: 1) cotransport of NaCl from the gut fluid; 2) bicarbonate (HCO3−) secretion and Cl− absorption via Cl−/HCO3− exchange fueled by metabolic CO2; and 3) alkaline precipitation of Ca2+ as insoluble CaCO3, which aids H2O absorption). The latter two processes involve high rates of epithelial HCO3− secretion stimulated by intestinal Ca2+ and can drive a major portion of water absorption. At higher salinities and ambient Ca2+ concentrations the osmoregulatory role of intestinal HCO3− secretion is amplified, but this has repercussions for other physiological processes, in particular, respiratory gas transport (as it is fueled by metabolic CO2) and acid-base regulation (as intestinal cells must export H+ into the blood to balance apical HCO3− secretion). The flounder intestine was perfused in vivo with salines containing 10, 40, or 90 mM Ca2+. Increasing the luminal Ca2+ concentration caused a large elevation in intestinal HCO3− production and excretion. Additionally, blood pH decreased (−0.13 pH units) and plasma partial pressure of CO2 (Pco2) levels were elevated (+1.16 mmHg) at the highest Ca perfusate level after 3 days of perfusion. Increasing the perfusate [Ca2+] also produced proportional increases in net acid excretion via the gills. When the net intestinal flux of all ions across the intestine was calculated, there was a greater absorption of anions than cations. This missing cation flux was assumed to be protons, which vary with an almost 1:1 relationship with net acid excretion via the gill. This study illustrates the intimate link between intestinal HCO3− production and osmoregulation with acid-base balance and respiratory gas exchange and the specific controlling role of ingested Ca2+ independent of any other ion or overall osmolality in marine teleost fish.


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