Calcium transport mechanism in crayfish gastrolith epithelium correlated with the molting cycle (I) the demonstration of calcium-accumulating sites

Abstract

The transport of calcium ions in correlation with the molting cycle was studied in the columnar epithelium of the crayfish gastrolith disc tissue by three cytochemical methods. In material fixed by freeze-substitution or potassium oxalate-glutaraldehyde, electron-dense deposits were found only in the hypertrophied mitochondria of the epithelium. In material fixed with potassium antimonate-OsO4, however, a number of fine deposits were observed throughout all membraneous structures. The emission of calcium K line was demonstrated only in the deposits on the mitochondria in electron probe X-ray microanalysis with the material fixed with acrolein gas, oxalate-glutaraldehyde, and antimonate-OsO4. These results may contribute to understanding the role of mitochondria in calcium transport when a large amount of calcium ions is moved from gastrolith epithelium to the outer molting epithelium or vice versa. © 1983, JAPAN SOCIETY OF HISTOCHEMISTRY AND CYTOCHEMISTRY. All rights reserved.