title: Swimming movements initiate bubble formation in fish decompressed from elevated gas pressures.
abstract: Young specimens of trout, catfish, sculpin and salamanders were equilibrated with elevated gas pressures, then rapidly decompressed to ambient pressure. The newly hatched forms tolerated extremely high gas supersaturations; equilibration pressures of 80-120 atm argon or 150-250 atm helium were required for in vivo bubble formation. During subsequent larval development, the equilibration pressures required decreased to just 5-10 atm and bubbles originated in the fins. Anesthetising older fish before decompression prevented bubble formation in the fins; this suggests that swimming movements mechanically initiate bubbles, possibly by a tribonucleation mechanism.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: McDonough
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Hemmingsen
mesh_terms: D000557:Ambystoma / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003664:Decompression; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology*; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D011312:Pressure; D013045:Species Specificity; D013550:Swimming; D014337:Trout / Q000502:physiology