Ultrastructure and segmentation of microdissected kidney tubules in the marine flounder, Pleuronectes platessa

Abstract

A new method combining electron microscopy with microdissection was used to study the segmental variation along the tubule of a marine flounder. Two different nephron types were present. One type had long tubules with the glomeruli located close to the kidney surface. The other type had shorter and more coiled tubules with the glomeruli located close to the terminal end of the same nephron. Five different segments were present: (1) neck segment, (2) first proximal segment, (3) second proximal segment, (4) third proximal segment, and (5) collecting tubule. The third proximal segment was not present in all tubules. An extensive system of infoldings from the plasma membrane was present in all segments, except the neck segment and the collecting tubule. Tight junctions impermeable to lanthanum were present in all segments. The collecting duct cells also had extensive infoldings from the plasma membrane and tight junctions impermeable to lanthanum were also present here.