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Studies on the Orbital Heating Organ of the Swordfish (Xiphias Gladius) using Microvascular Corrosion Casting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 July 2020

Hans Ditrich  and
Gregorio DeMetrio
Hans Ditrich
Affiliation:
Institute for Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14; , A-1090, Vienna, Austria
Gregorio DeMetrio
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Produzione Animale, University of Bari, Technopolis Ctr. Valenzano; , 1-70126, Bari, Italy
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Extract

The swordfish ﹛Xiphias gladius), as well as billfishes (Istiophoridae), shows a conspicuous modification of one of its eye muscles: the dorsal rectus muscle. While the other eye muscles show an apparently normal, oculomotoric structure, the musculus rectus dorsalis is modified for heat production. While the remaining oculomotoric portion of this muscle shows normal muscular cells, the bulk of the organ is composed of cells structurally similar to brown adipose tissue (BAT) and blood vessels. The BAT cells are capable of direct (i.e., non-shivering) metabolic heat production. This heat is then transported and disseminated by the blood vessels in this organ.

Microvascular corrosion casting is an excellent technique for studying the morphology of complicate vascular networks. However, studies using this technique on eye muscle vasculature are not frequently found in the literature. Juvenile swordfish, 1.4-1.8kg bodyweight, were collected in the Ionic sea. Immediately after catching, terminal anaesthesia was carried out with tricaine-methanesulfonate.

Type
Applications and Advances in Vascular Corrosion Casting in Microvascular Research
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 6 , Issue S2: Proceedings: Microscopy & Microanalysis 2000, Microscopy Society of America 58th Annual Meeting, Microbeam Analysis Society 34th Annual Meeting, Microscopical Society of Canada/Societe de Microscopie de Canada 27th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania August 13-17, 2000 , August 2000 , pp. 560 - 561
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America

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References

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