Análise estrutural, citoquímica e morfométrica da epiderme de Pseudauchenipterus affinis (Steindachner, 1877) (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae)

• Ano de defesa: 2016
• Autor(a) principal: Santos, Aline Barbosa
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BR; Mestrado em Biodiversidade Tropical; UFES; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical
• Palavras-chave em Português: Morphology; Skin; Catfish; Mucus cell; Light microscopy; Célula de muco; Morfologia; Pele; Microscopia x Propriedades óticas; Bagre (Peixe); Células caliciformes; Ecologia; 502
• Link de acesso: http://repositorio.ufes.br/handle/10/5249

The epidermis in fishes has highly complex and diverse structures and is considered a multifunctional tissue still poorly understood. Although it is a group with abundance of species, only a small number of Siluriformes had their epidermis analyzed. The description of the epidermal structures of catfishes can contribute with phylogenetic information in Siluriformes or help on the understanding of the relationship between morphology and environment, which remain little known. This study represents the first structural description of the epidermis of a member of the family Auchenipteridae. The structure, cytochemistry and morphometry of the Pseudauchenipterus affinis catfish epidermis was investigated in four body regions throughout the one year. The P. affinis skin is formed by epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue in all analyzed regions. The epidermis consists of three major cell types (epithelial, mucus and alarm) and in fewer amount of pigment, granular eosinophilic and lymphocytes cells. There were also described sensory structures (taste buds, ampullary organs and neuromasts channel). Cytochemical analysis detected neutral and acid glycoproteins in the mucus cells secretion, and protein in the alarm cells. The morphological and cytochemical features are consistent with those described for other Ostariophysi. Morphometric analysis highlighted that (1) there is sexual dimorphism in relation to the height of the epithelium; (2) the mucus cell density is smaller than alarm and epithelial cells; (3) the different body regions is not uniform in relation to mucus cells density, height and diameter of the epithelium, such as reported in the literature; (4) the anterior lateral body region showed greater epithelium height and mucous cells diameter compared to posterior lateral body region; (5) mucus and alarm cells density, epithelial height and diameter of the mucus cells had seasonal variations, probably as result of the salinity increase in the collection site during the study.