Aging changes in the heart of a poeciliid fish, the guppy Poecilia reticulatus

Histological surveys of the hearts of guppies Poecilia reticulatus throughout their lifespan showed no aging changes until the fish were three years old. In younger fishes the hearts were healthy, even in three individuals with “wasting” disease, where there was considerable loss of muscle throughou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental gerontology 1984, Vol.19 (6), p.383-391
Main Author: Woodhead, A.D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Female
Fishes - anatomy & histology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Heart
Heart - anatomy & histology
Heart Atria - anatomy & histology
Heart Ventricles - anatomy & histology
Macrophages - cytology
Male
Melanocytes - cytology
Vertebrates: cardiovascular system
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Summary:Histological surveys of the hearts of guppies Poecilia reticulatus throughout their lifespan showed no aging changes until the fish were three years old. In younger fishes the hearts were healthy, even in three individuals with “wasting” disease, where there was considerable loss of muscle throughout the body. There was a loss of muscle fibers in the ventricle in old fish, and deposition of collagen in the bulbus arteriosus. Guppies of three years and older also had a marked accumulation of melanomacrophages in the atrium. It seems unlikely that degeneration of the heart is involved in mortality of guppies in the wild.
ISSN:0531-5565
1873-6815
DOI:10.1016/0531-5565(84)90048-2