Morphology of the Nephron in the mesonephros of Bufo bufo (Amphibia, Anura, Bufonidae)

Nadja Møbjerg, Erik Hviid Larsen, Åse Jespersen*

*Corresponding author for this work
29 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The present study deals with the morphology and ultrastructure of the nephron in the mesonephros of the toad, Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758). Based on serial sections in paraffin, Araldite and Epon, the position of the different segments of the nephron within the kidney tissue was determined, and a nephron subsequently reconstructed. The nephron consists of the following parts: Malpighian corpuscle, neck segment, proximal tubule, intermediate segment, early distal tubule, late distal tubule and collecting tubule. The late distal tubule was subdivided into three morphologically different sections. The total number of nephrons in the toad mesonephros was estimated at 6000 units. The length of the segments in the reconstructed nephron was calculated. The cytology of the epithelial cells constituting the segments was described using transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Heterocellularity was found in the late distal tubule section I and III and in the collecting tubule. The proportional distribution and number of intercalated (mitochondria-rich) cells in the late distal tubule and collecting tubule was calculated. Only one morphological type of intercalated cell could be distinguished. Late distal tubules were removed from fresh Bufo kidneys for preliminary studies of the intercalated cells with Nomarski optics.

Original languageEnglish
JournalActa Zoologica
Volume79
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)31-50
Number of pages20
ISSN0001-7272
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 1998

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