Abstract
Perfusing and bathing isolated gills of shore crabs Carcinus maenas with artificial saline or sea (brackish) water enabled us to determine potential differences (PDs) between ambient bathing medium and perfusion solution. Establishment of diffusional PDs was avoided by employment of the same solution on the internal and external side. The PDs measured were therefore of an active nature. We compared the properties of the PDs with the well-known properties of the Na-K-ATPase: dependence on biological energy (ATP), on salinity and sodium concentration, susceptibility of PD to depletion of internal K and to the addition of 5 mM internal ouabain. Considering also the magnitude of the PDs measured, the results obtained indicate that it is the Na-K-ATPase that generates an active transport potential for Na in the gills of shore crabs. This PD represents the driving force for the active uptake of Na in crabs that hyperregulate their body fluids when they inhabit environments of reduced salinity regimes or fluctuating salinities in tidal estuaries. This process counteracts diffusional losses of Na in crabs exposed to dilute media.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Burnett, L. E.: CO2 excretion across isolated perfused crab gills: facilitation by carbonic anhydrase. Am. Zool. 24, 253–264 (1984)
Croghan, P. C., R. A. Curra and A. P. M. Lockwood: The electrical potential difference across the epithelium of isolated gills of the crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes (Lereboullet). J. exp. Biol. 42, 463–474 (1965)
Habas, L. and C. L. Prosser: Effect of acclimation to various salinities on potentials in isolated crab gills. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 125, 379 (Abstract) (1963)
Habas Mantel, L. Asymmetry potentials, metabolism and sodium fluxes in gills of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 20, 743–753 (1967)
King, E. N. and E. Schoffeniels: In vitro preparation of crab gill for use in ion transport studies. Arch. int. Physiol. Biochim. 77, 105–111 (1969)
Péqueux, A. and R. Gilles: Osmoregulation of the euryhaline chinese crab Eriocheir sinensis. Ionic transports across isolated perfused gills as related to the salinity of the environment. In: Physiology and behaviour of marine organisms. Proc. 12th Eur. Mar. Biol. Symp., Scotland, pp 105–111. Ed. by D. S. McLusky and A. J. Berry. Oxford and New York: Pergamon Press 1977
Péqueux, A. and R. Gilles: Na+/NH 4+ co-transport in isolated perfused gills of the chinese crab Eriocheir sinensis acclimated to fresh water. Experientia 34, 1593–1594 (1978)
Péqueux, A. and R. Gilles: Effects of ouabain and ethacrynate on Na+ fluxes across isolated perfused gills of the euryhaline crab Eriocheir sinensis acclimated to fresh water. In: Animals and environmental fitness, Proc. 1st Conf. Eur. Soc. Comp. Physiol. Biochem. Liège, pp 17–18. Ed. by R. Gilles. Oxford and New York: Pergamon Press 1979
Péqueux, A. and R. Gilles: Na+ fluxes across isolated perfused gills of the chinese crab Eriocheir sinensis. J. exp. Biol. 92, 173–186 (1981)
Péqueux, A. and R. Gilles: Control of the extracellular fluid osmolality in crustaceans. In: Osmoregulation in estuarine and marine animals. Proc. 5th Conf. Eur. Soc. Comp. Physiol. Biochem., Taormina, Italy, pp 17–34. Ed. by A. Péqueux, R. Gilles and R. Bolis. Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies, Vol. 9. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokyo: Springer Verlag 1984
Siebers, D., C. Lucu, K. R. Sperling and K. Eberlein: Kinetics of osmoregulation in the crab Carcinus maenas. Mar. Biol. 17, 291–303 (1972)
Siebers, D., K. Leweck, H. Markus and A. Winkler: Sodium regulation in the shore crab Carcinus maenas as related to ambient salinity. Mar. Biol. 69, 37–43 (1982)
Siebers, D., A. Winkler, K. Leweck and A. Madian: Regulation of sodium in the shore crab Carcinus maenas, adapted to environments of constant and changing salinities. Helgoländer Meeresunters. 36, 303–312 (1983)
Towle, D. W.: Role of Na++K+-ATPase in ionic regulation by marine and estuarine animals. Mar. Biol. Lett. 2, 107–121 (1981)
Towle, D. W.: Regulatory functions of Na++K+-ATPase in marine and estuarine animals. In: Osmoregulation in estuarine and marine animals, pp 157–170. Ed. by A. Péqueux and L. Bolis. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokyo: Springer Verlag 1984a
Towle, D. W.: Membrane-bound ATPases in arthropod iontransporting tissues. Am. Zool. 24, 177–185 (1984b)
Winkler, A., D. Siebers and K. Leweck: Zur Bestimmung von Natrium in Meerwasser mit ionensensitiven Elektroden. GIT Fachz. Lab. 26, 228–229 (1982)
Zanders, P.: Regulation of blood ions in Carcinus maenas (L.). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 65 A, 97–108 (1980)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by O. Kinne, Oldendorf/Luhe
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Siebers, D., Winkler, A., Lucu, C. et al. Na-K-ATPase generates an active transport potential in the gills of the hyperregulating shore crab Carcinus maenas . Mar. Biol. 87, 185–192 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00539427
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00539427