| Pineal organs of deep-sea fish: photopigments and structure. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 15184510 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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We have examined the morphology and photopigments of the pineal organs from a number of mesopelagic fish, including representatives of the hatchet fish (Sternoptychidae), scaly dragon-fish (Chauliodontidae) and bristlemouths (Gonostomidae). Although these fish were caught at depths of between 500 and 1000 m, the morphological organisation of their pineal organs is remarkably similar to that of surface-dwelling fish. Photoreceptor inner and outer segments protrude into the lumen of the pineal vesicle, and the outer segment is composed of a stack of up to 20 curved disks that form a cap-like cover over the inner segment. In all species, the pineal photopigment was spectrally distinct from the retinal rod pigment, with lambdamax displaced to longer wavelengths, between approximately 485 and 503 nm. We also investigated the pineal organ of the deep demersal eel, Synaphobranchus kaupi, caught at depths below 2000 m, which possesses a rod visual pigment with lambdamax at 478 nm, but the pineal pigment has lambdamax at approximately 515 nm. In one species of hatchet fish, Argyropelecus affinis, two spectral classes of pinealocyte were identified, both spectrally distinct from the retinal rod photopigment. |
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Authors:
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James K Bowmaker; Hans-Joachim Wagner |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
Journal Detail:
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Title: The Journal of experimental biology Volume: 207 ISSN: 0022-0949 ISO Abbreviation: J. Exp. Biol. Publication Date: 2004 Jun |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2004-06-08 Completed Date: 2004-09-13 Revised Date: 2008-11-21 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0243705 Medline TA: J Exp Biol Country: England |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 2379-87 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Division of Visual Science, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, EC1V 9EL, UK. j.bowmaker@ucl.ac.uk |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Animals Atlantic Ocean Fishes / anatomy & histology*, physiology Histological Techniques Microspectrophotometry Photoreceptor Cells / anatomy & histology, physiology Pigments, Biological / physiology* Pineal Gland / anatomy & histology*, physiology Retinal Pigments / physiology |
| Chemical | |
Reg. No./Substance:
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0/Pigments, Biological; 0/Retinal Pigments |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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