Effects of blockage of exogenous calcium and phosphorus on the calcium regulatory systems in goldfish

Gastrointestinal transport of Ca2+ and Mg2+ during the digestion of a single meal in the freshwater rainbow trout

A diet containing an inert marker (ballotini beads, quantified by X-radiography) was used to quantify the transport of two essential minerals, Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) from the diet during the digestion and absorption of a single meal of commercial trout food (3% ration). Initially, net uptake of Ca(2+) was observed in the stomach followed by subsequent Ca(2+) fluxes along the intestine which were variable, but for the most part secretory. This indicated a net secretion of Ca(2+) along the intestinal tract resulting in a net assimilation of dietary Ca(2+) of 28%. Similar handling of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) was observed along the gastrointestinal tract (GI), although net assimilation differed substantially between the cations, with Mg(2+) assimilation being close to 60%, mostly a result of greater uptake by the stomach. The stomach displayed the highest net uptake rates for both cations (1.5 and 1.3 mmol kg(-1) fish body mass for Ca(2+) and Mg(2+), respectively), occurring within 2 h following ingestion of the meal. Substantial secretions of both Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) were observed in the anterior intestine, which were attributed to bile and other intestinal secretions, while fluxes in the mid and posterior intestine were small and variable. The overall patterns of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) handling in the GI tract were similar to those observed for Na(+) and K(+) (but not Cl(-)) in a previous study. Overall, these results emphasize the importance of dietary electrolytes in ionoregulatory homeostasis.

Effect of vitamin D3 administration on the serum calcium and inorganic phosphate levels of the freshwater catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis, maintained in artificial fresh water, calcium-rich fresh water, and calcium-deficient fresh water

Freshwater catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis, were injected daily intraperitoneally either with vehicle (0.05 ml of 95% ethanol/100 g body wt) or vitamin D3 (50 I.U./100 g body wt) and maintained in artificial fresh water, calcium-rich fresh water, or calcium-deficient fresh water for 10 days. The specimens were sacrificed on Days 1, 3, 5, and 10 after initiation of the experiment. The blood samples were collected on these intervals and serum calcium and inorganic phosphate levels were analyzed. Vitamin D3 induced hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia in the freshwater catfish, H. fossilis. These effects of vitamin D3 are not dependent upon the calcium concentration of the different ambient media used in this study.