QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by SHEPHARD, K. L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by SHEPHARD, K. L.

Journal of Experimental Biology 90,115-121 (1981)
Published by Company of Biologists 1981

The Activity and Characteristics of the Ca²⁺ ATPase of Fish Gills in Relation to Environmental Calcium Concentrations

K. L. SHEPHARD ¹

¹ From the Department of Zoology, Reading University, Whiteknights, Reading, England

The concentration of plasma calcium and the activity of the gill Ca^2+- ATPase has been measured in roach from several waters. Plasma calcium concentrations in these fish vary very little (2·62 ± 0·17 mM) despite great variation in the external calcium concentration between waters (0·40 to 2·92 mM). There is, however, a close correlation between Ca²⁺ ATPase activity and external calcium concentration, consistent with the view that differences in the requirement for calcium transport are accommodated by variation in the Ca²⁺ ATPase system.

These results are discussed in relation to those of a previous experiment, where the short term effects of changing external calcium were considered. It is suggested that variation in the absolute level of Ca²⁺ ATPase activity represents the long term adaptation of the roach to different calcium concentrations.