Ultrastructural and histochemical study of the salivary glands of Aplysia depilans (Mollusca, Opisthobranchia)

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2001

Autores

lobo-da-cunha, a (Autor) ICBAS

Revista

Título: Acta Zoologica

Vol. 82

Páginas: 201-212

ISSN: 0001-7272

Editora: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexação

Scopus - 16 Citações

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-00F-GM5

DOI: 10.1046/j.1463-6395.2000.00081.x

Abstract (EN): The digestive system of the sea hare, Aplysia depilans, includes a pair of ribbon-shaped salivary glands. A central duct and a large blood vessel run close to each other along the length of these glands and both are surrounded by a layer of muscle cells. Three cell types form the glandular epithelium: granular cells, vacuolated cells and mucocytes. The granular cells possess cilia and spherical secretion granules, located primarily in the apical region. The granules of immature cells have a low electron density and are mainly formed by neutral polysaccharides with small amounts of proteins. The granules of mature cells are larger, have a high electron density and are mainly formed by proteins with lower amounts of neutral polysaccharides. Transition stages between immature and mature granular cells are observed. The vacuolated cells are large and frequently pyramidal in shape, but after the application of histochemical techniques almost all vacuoles remain uncoloured. The numerous vacuoles contain flocculent material in a clear background and the mitochondria possess large crystalline structures in the matrix. A pyramidal shape is also typical of the mucocytes, which are filled with vesicles containing granular masses surrounded by a network of secretion material. These large cells are strongly stained by Alcian blue, revealing the presence of acidic mucopolysaccharides. This is the first ultrastructural study of the salivary glands in opisthobranch gastropods.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica