Na+,K+,2Cl--cotransporter: A Novel Marker for Identifying Freshwater and Seawater-type Mitochondria-rich Cells in Gills of the Euryhaline Tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus
Yu-Ching Wu, Li-Yih Lin and Tsung-Han Lee (2003) The abundance and location of the branchial Na+,K+,2Cl--cotransporter (NKCC) were examined in freshwater- and seawater-adapted tilapia. Immunoblots revealed 4 bands with molecular masses centered at 282, 208, 122, and 105 kDa, respectively. Gill NKCC in tilapia is upregulated after seawater adaptation. Confocal laser scanning micrographs showed that in seawater-adapted tilapia, NKCC as well as Na,K-ATPase exhibited identical diffuse distribution confined to the basal portion of branchial mitochondria-rich cells. However, in freshwater-adapted tilapia, NKCC was displayed only in the apical region of Na,K-ATPase-immunoreactive cells. Polarized distribution of NKCC makes it a novel marker for recognizing freshwater- or seawater-type MR cells in euryhaline tilapia.
Keywords
NKCC, Teleosts, Branchial epithelium, Chloride cells.
