title: Structure and Ultrastructure of the Endodermal Region of the Alimentary Tract in the Freshwater Shrimp Neocaridina heteropoda (Crustacea, Malacostraca).
abstract: The freshwater shrimp Neocaridina heteropoda (Crustacea, Malacostraca, Decapoda) originates from Asia and is one of the species that is widely available all over the world because it is the most popular shrimp that is bred in aquaria. The structure and the ultrastructure of the midgut have been described using X-ray microtomography, transmission electron microscopy, light and fluorescence microscopes. The endodermal region of the alimentary system in N. heteropoda consists of an intestine and a hepatopancreas. No differences were observed in the structure and ultrastructure of males and females of the shrimp that were examined. The intestine is a tube-shaped organ and the hepatopancreas is composed of two large diverticles that are divided into the blind-end tubules. Hepatopancreatic tubules have three distinct zones - proximal, medial and distal. Among the epithelial cells of the intestine, two types of cells were distinguished - D and E-cells, while three types of cells were observed in the epithelium of the hepatopancreas - F, B and E-cells. Our studies showed that the regionalization in the activity of cells occurs along the length of the hepatopancreatic tubules. The role and ultrastructure of all types of epithelial cells are discussed, with the special emphasis on the function of the E-cells, which are the midgut regenerative cells. Additionally, we present the first report on the existence of an intercellular junction that is connected with the E-cells of Crustacea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sonakowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Włodarczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Poprawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Computer Systems, X-ray Microtomography Lab, University of Silesia, Chorzów, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Binkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Computer Systems, X-ray Microtomography Lab, University of Silesia, Chorzów, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Śróbka
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamińska
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Michalina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kszuk-Jendrysik
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Chajec
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Bartłomiej
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zajusz
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena Maria
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rost-Roszkowska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D033364:Decapoda; D004707:Endoderm / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure*