title: Morphometric comparison of the respiratory organs in the South American lungfish Lepidosiren paradoxa (Dipnoi).
abstract: In light of the relationship of lungfish to the origin of tetrapods, information on the respiratory biology of lungfish can give insight into the functional morphological and physiological prerequisites for the conquest of land by the first tetrapods. Stereological methods were employed in order to determine the respiratory surface area and thickness of the water-blood barrier or air-blood of the gills, lungs, and skin, respectively, of the South American lungfish Lepidosiren paradoxa. The morphometric diffusing capacity was then determined by multiplying by the appropriate Krogh diffusion constants (K). Our results indicate a total diffusing capacity of all respiratory organs of 0.11 mL min(-1) mmHg(-1) kg(-1), which is more than twice the value of the physiological diffusion capacity (approximately 0.04 mL min(-1) mmHg(-1) kg(-1)). Of this, 99.15% lies in the lungs, 0.85% in the skin, and only 0.0013% in the gills. Since K for CO(2) is 20-25 times greater than for O(2), diffusing capacity of CO(2) through the skin is potentially important. That of the gills, however, is negligible, raising the question as to their function. Our results indicate that the morphological prerequisites for terrestrial survival with regard to supporting aerobic metabolism already existed in the lungfish.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Fisiologicas, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, 13565-905 Sao Carlos, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcos F P G
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: de Moraes
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holler
authors.forename: Oscar T F
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Mogens L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.forename: Marisa N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Steven F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Perry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D001938:Brazil; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D005399:Fishes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D005880:Gills / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D006652:Histological Techniques; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; D012867:Skin / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen