Freeze-fracture study of the receptor membranes in the olfactory organ of Alburnus alburnus (Teleostei)

• Published in: Zoomorphology 1988-01, Vol.108 (1), p.41-46
• Main Authors: HERNADI, L, ROHLICH, P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alburnus alburnus; Biological and medical sciences; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Olfactory system and olfaction. Gustatory system and gustation; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0720-213X; 1432-234X
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00312213

The plasma membrane of the receptor dendrites and ciliated epithelial cells in the teleost fish Alburnus alburnus were studied by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. The IMP diameters on the membrane P-faces of both receptor dendrites and ciliated epithelial cells ranged from 5 nm to 11 nm. The average IMP densities on membrane fracture faces of the ciliated and microvillous sensory dendrites were 3130 plus or minus 780 for the cilia, 2070 plus or minus 550 for the microvilli, 2390 plus or minus 1190 on the knob regions and 3050 plus or minus 1130/ mu m on the lateral dendrite membranes. The IMP densities on the P fracture faces of the cilia and knob regions were compared with the densities found on the lateral membranes of each individual dendrite. The ratios ranged from 0.5 to 0.96 in the case of the cilia/lateral membrane and from 0.5 to 0.90 in that of the knob/lateral membrane, indicating that, in contrast to the average densities, it is the lateral membrane which has the higher IMP densities and not the cilia.