Abstract
Yolk osmolality of developing eggs of the herring Clupea harengus L. is strongly hypoosmotic to seawater: about 440 mOsm during the first week of development decreasing to 360 mOsm before hatching. The perivitelline fluid (PVF) of the eggs is isoosmotic to the ambient medium. The PVF equilibrates within 10 min to changes in the ambient seawater. The content of Na+, K+, Cl- and free amino acids amount to 26, 52, 48, and 54 n mol egg-1, respectively, on Days 1 to 3 after fertilization, increasing to 63, 69, 80, and 79 n mol egg-1, respectively, prior to hatching (Days 18–20). The apparently conflicting findings of a decreasing yolk osmolality and a simultaneous increase in the amount of egg solutes are at present unexplained.
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Communicated by T. Fenchel, Aarhus
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Hølleland, T., Fyhn, H.J. Osmotic properties of eggs of the herring Clupea harengus . Mar. Biol. 91, 377–383 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428632
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428632