Histología y morfometría de piel del pez Eremophilus mutisii (Trychomecteridae, Siluriformes)

Skin histology and morphometry of the fish Eremophilus mutisii (Trychomecteridae, Siluriformes). The tropical freshwater fish Eremophylus mutisii is endemic to the Cundinamarca highland in Colombia. Skin samples (0.5x0.5 cm²) were taken from 11 specimens at six body parts (mandible, dorsal head, dorsal trunk, caudal trunk, medial trunk and abdominal area), fixed in 4% formaldehyde, dehydrated in 95% ethanol and 99% isopropanol, embedded in paraffin and sectioned at 5 µm. The skin is made of two mayor cutaneous layers (epidermis and dermis) and a subcutaneous layer (hypodermis). The epidermis presents three layers with secretory cells, epithelial cells and a few taste buds; the dermis is separated from the epidermis by a basal membrane. We observed fibroblasts, two layers of melanophors and some blood vessels; the hypodermis has vascularized adipose tissue. Skin thickness changes with body area; the dermis is thicker than the epidermis; skin has more club cells than mucous cells. The medial trunk area has the largest number of club and mucous cells. The skin of E. mutissi seems to mainly have a protective function. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (2): 885-893. Epub 2008 June 30.

Se estudió la piel del pez dulceacuícola endémico de Colombia Eremophylus mutissi. Se tomaron muestras de piel (0.5x0.5 cm²) de 11 especimenes en seis partes del cuerpo (mandíbulas, cabeza dorsal, tronco dorsal, tronco caudal, tronco medial y abdominal). Se fijaron en formaldehído al 4%, con deshidratación en etanol al 95 % e isopropanol al 99%, inclusión en parafina y cortes a 5 µm. La piel está constituida por dos capas cutáneas (epidermis y dermis) y una capa subcutánea (hipodermis): la epidermis tiene tres capas con células secretoras, células epiteliales y pocas células gustativas; la dermis está separada de la epidermis por una membrana basal. Observamos fibroblastos, dos capas de melanóforos y algunos vasos sanguíneos; la hipodermis tiene un tejido adiposo vascularizado. La dermis es más delgada que la epidermis; la piel tiene más células tipo clava que células mucosas. El tronco medio tiene muchas células clava y células mucosas. La piel de E. mutissi parece tener una función principalmente protectora.

[Skin histology and morphometry of the fish Eremophilus mutisii (Trychomecteridae, Siluriformes)]. / Histología y morfometría de piel del pez Eremophilus mutisii (Trychomecteridae, Siluriformes).

The tropical freshwater fish Eremophylus mutisii is endemic to the Cundinamarca highland in Colombia. Skin samples (0.5x0.5 cm2) were taken from 11 specimens at six body parts (mandible, dorsal head, dorsal trunk, caudal trunk, medial trunk and abdominal area), fixed in 4% formaldehyde, dehydrated in 95% ethanol and 99% isopropanol, embedded in paraffin and sectioned at 5 sm. The skin is made of two mayor cutaneous layers (epidermis and dermis) and a subcutaneous layer (hypodermis). The epidermis presents three layers with secretory cells, epithelial cells and a few taste buds; the dermis is separated from the epidermis by a basal membrane. We observed fibroblasts, two layers of melanophors and some blood vessels; the hypodermis has vascularized adipose tissue. Skin thickness changes with body area; the dermis is thicker than the epidermis; skin has more club cells than mucous cells. The medial trunk area has the largest number of club and mucous cells. The skin of E. mutissi seems to mainly have a protective function.