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Journal of Experimental Biology 59,39-43 (1973)
Published by Company of Biologists 1973

Isosmotic Regulation in Various Tissues of the Diamondback Terrapin Malaclemys Centrata Centrata (Latreille)

M. GILLES-BAILLIEN ¹

¹ Laboratory of Marine Membrane Physiology, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, N.C.; Dept. of Biochemistry, University Of Liège, Liège, Belgium

1. Osmotic adjustment is achieved by blood and intracellular fluids in the diamond-back terrapin when acclimatized either to fresh water or to sea water.

2. The muscle adjusts its composition to a higher blood osmotic pressure by greater concentrations in ammonia, in taurine and in urea and to a lesser extent in all amino acids (aspartate excepted). The inorganic ion content is not affected.

3. In the bladder mucosa ammonia, taurine and all amino acids are more concentrated in sea-water animals. But essentially urea is responsible for the higher osmotic pressure. Of the inorganic ions only potassium shows a (slight) increase in sea-water animals.

4. In the colon mucosa there is a slight increase in the total amino acid content, in the concentrations of sodium and chloride, and a larger increase in urea.

5. In the jejunum mucosa the concentrations of amino acids, urea and K are much higher in sea-water animals.

6. The results are discussed within the framework of isosmotic regulation of intracellular fluids.

Note:

Supported by grant No. HE-12157 from the National Institutes of Health and grant No. 790 of the Fonds de la Recherche Fondamentale Collective to Professor E. Schoffeniels.