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Journal of Experimental Biology 147,249-261 (1989)
Published by Company of Biologists 1989

Depression Of Whole-Body Calcium Uptake During Acute Hypercalcaemia In American Eel, Anguilla Rostrata, is Mediated Exclusively by Corpuscles of Stannius

S. F. PERRY ¹, D. SEGUIN ¹, F. P. J. G. LAFEBER ², S. E. WENDELAAR BONGA ³, and J. C. FENWICK ¹

¹ Department of Biology, University of Ottawa 30 Somerset St East, Ottawa, Ontario KIN 6N5 Canada
² 2Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Nijmegen Toernooiveld 25, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands
³ Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Nijmegen Toernooiveld 25, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands

To whom reprint requests should be addressed

1. The role of the corpuscles of Stannius (CS) in acute modulation of wholebody calcium influx (J_in^Ca) in American eel, Anguilla rostrata, was investigated by (i) assessing the effects of stanniectomy on J_in^Ca and plasma total calcium concentration ([Ca_tot]), (ii) comparing the abilities of sham-operated and stanniectomized eels to reduce J_in^Ca during artificially induced hypercalcaemia, and (iii) monitoring the effects of homologous hypocalcin (a 54x10³ M_r glycoprotein injection on J_in^Ca

2. Stanniectomy (STX) caused a pronounced elevation of J_in^Ca and hypercalcaemia measured 7 days after surgery.

3. When hypercalcaemia was induced by intra-arterial infusion of CaCl₂, a treatment known to cause degranulation of the CS and the specific release of hypocalcin, J_in^Ca was reduced significantly within 1 h in intact fish. NaCl infusion did not affect plasma [Ca_tot] or J_in^Ca in any group tested.

4. Stanniectomy prevented the reduction of J_in^Ca associated with the hypercalcaemia induced by CaCl₂ infusion.

5. Intra-arterial infusion of MgCl₂ caused a significant elevation of plasma total magnesium concentration [Mgtot] but did not alter J_in^Ca.

6. Intra-arterial infusion of hypocalcin (l8.5 nmolkg^-1 body mass) into intact eels decreased J_in^Ca to an extent similar to that seen following artificially induced hypercalcaemia.

7. We conclude that the rapid reduction of J_in^Ca during experimental hypercalcaemia is mediated by hypocalcin released from the corpuscles of Stannius and suggest that calcitonin, another putative hypocalcaemic hormone, is not involved. The results are discussed with respect to the relative importance of hypocalcin and calcitonin as hypocalcaemic hormones in fish.

Key words: corpuscles of Stannius, calcium, eel, gill, hypocalcin

Accepted on July 28, 1989

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