V-H+-ATPase, Na+/K+-ATPase and NHE2 immunoreactivity in the gill epithelium of the Pacific hagfish (Epatretus stoutii)

Ammonia excretion by the fish gill: discoveries and ideas that shaped our current understanding

The fish gill serves many physiological functions, among which is the excretion of ammonia, the primary nitrogenous waste in most fishes. Although it is the end-product of nitrogen metabolism, ammonia serves many physiological functions including acting as an acid equivalent and as a counter-ion in mechanisms of ion regulation. Our current understanding of the mechanisms of ammonia excretion have been influenced by classic experimental work, clever mechanistic approaches, and modern molecular and genetic techniques. In this review, I will overview the history of the study of ammonia excretion by the gills of fishes, highlighting the important advancements that have shaped this field with a nearly 100-year history. The developmental and evolutionary implications of an ammonia and gill-dominated nitrogen regulation strategy in most fishes will also be discussed. Throughout the review, I point to areas in which more work is needed to push forward this field of research that continues to produce novel insights and discoveries that will undoubtedly shape our overall understanding of fish physiology.

The origins of gas exchange and ion regulation in fish gills: evidence from structure and function

Gill function in gas exchange and ion regulation has played key roles in the evolution of fishes. In this review, we summarize data from the fields of palaeontology, developmental biology and comparative physiology for when and how the gills first acquired these functions. Data from across disciplines strongly supports a stem vertebrate origin for gas exchange structures and function at the gills with the emergence of larger, more active fishes. However, the recent discovery of putative ionocytes in extant cephalochordates and hemichordates suggests that ion regulation at gills might have originated much earlier than gas exchange, perhaps in the ciliated pharyngeal arches in the last common ancestor of deuterostomes. We hypothesize that the ancestral form of ion regulation served a filter-feeding function in the ciliated pharyngeal arches, and was later coopted in vertebrates to regulate extracellular ion and acid-base balance. We propose that future research should explore ionocyte homology and function across extant deuterostomes to test this hypothesis and others in order to determine the ancestral origins of ion regulation in fish gills.

Molecular basis of the unique osmoregulatory strategy in the inshore hagfish, Eptatretus burgeri

Hagfishes are characterized by omo- and iono-conforming nature similar to marine invertebrates. Conventionally, hagfishes had been recognized as the most primitive living vertebrate that retains plesiomorphic features. However, some of the "ancestral" features of hagfishes, such as rudimentary eyes and the lack of vertebrae, have been proven to be deceptive. Similarly, by the principle of maximum parsimony, the unique body fluid regulatory strategy of hagfishes seems to be apomorphic, since the lamprey, another cyclostome, adopts osmo- and iono-regulatory mechanisms as in jawed vertebrates. Although hagfishes are unequivocally important in discussing the origin and evolution of the vertebrate osmoregulatory system, the molecular basis for the body fluid homeostasis in hagfishes has been poorly understood. In the present study, we explored this matter in the inshore hagfish, Eptatretus burgeri, by analyzing the transcriptomes obtained from the gill, kidney, and muscle of the animals acclimated to distinct environmental salinities. Together with the measurement of parameters in the muscular fluid compartment, our data indicate that the hagfish possesses an ability to conduct free amino acid (FAA)-based osmoregulation at a cellular level, which is in coordination with the renal and branchial FAA absorption. We also revealed that the hagfish does possess the orthologs of the known osmoregulatory genes and that the transepithelial movement of inorganic ions in the hagfish gill and kidney is more complex than previously thought. These observations pose a challenge to the conventional view that the physiological features of hagfishes have been inherited from the last common ancestor of the extant vertebrates.

Dining on the dead in the deep: Active NH4 + excretion via Na+ /H+ (NH4 + ) exchange in the highly ammonia tolerant Pacific hagfish, Eptatretus stoutii

AIM

Pacific hagfish are exceptionally tolerant to high environmental ammonia (HEA). Here, we elucidated a cellular mechanism that enables hagfish to actively excrete ammonia against steep ammonia gradients expected to be found inside a decomposing whale carcass.

METHODS

Hagfish were exposed to varying concentrations of HEA in the presence or absence of environmental Na⁺ , while plasma ammonia levels were tracked. ¹⁴ C-methylammonium was used as a proxy for NH₄ ⁺ to measure efflux in whole animals and in isolated gill pouches; the latter allowed us to assess the effects of amiloride specifically on Na⁺ /H⁺ exchangers (NHEs) in gill cells. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were utilized to evaluate the abundance and sub-cellular localization of Rhesus glycoprotein (Rh) channels in the response to HEA.

RESULTS

Hagfish actively excreted NH₄ ⁺ against steep inwardly directed E_NH4 ⁺ (ΔE_NH4 ⁺  ~ 35 mV) and pNH₃ (ΔpNH₃  ~ 2000 μtorr) gradients. Active NH₄ ⁺ excretion and plasma ammonia hypo-regulation were contingent on the presence of environmental Na⁺ , indicating a Na⁺ /NH₄ ⁺ exchange mechanism. Active NH₄ ⁺ excretion across isolated gill pouches was amiloride-sensitive. Exposure to HEA resulted in decreased abundance of Rh channels in the apical membrane of gill ionocytes.

CONCLUSIONS

During HEA exposure, hagfish can actively excrete ammonia against a steep concentration gradient using apical NHEs energized by Na⁺ -K⁺ -ATPase in gill ionocytes. Additionally, apical Rh channels are removed from the apical membrane, presumably to reduce ammonia loading from the environment. We suggest that this mechanism allows hagfish to maintain tolerable ammonia levels while feeding inside decomposing carrion, allowing them to exploit nutrient-rich food-falls.

The roles of plasma accessible and cytosolic carbonic anhydrases in bicarbonate (HCO3-) excretion in Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii)

Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii) are marine scavengers and feed on decaying animal carrion by burrowing their bodies inside rotten carcasses where they are exposed to several threatening environmental stressors, including hypercapnia (high partial pressures of CO₂). Hagfish possess a remarkable capacity to tolerate hypercapnia, and their ability to recover from acid-base disturbances is well known. To deal with the metabolic acidosis resulting from exposure to high CO₂, hagfish can mount a rapid elevation of plasma HCO₃^- concentration (hypercarbia). Once PCO₂ is restored, hagfish quickly excrete their HCO₃^- load, a process that likely involves the enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA), which catalyzes HCO₃^- dehydration into CO₂ at the hagfish gills. We aimed to characterize the role of branchial CA in CO₂/HCO₃^- clearance from the plasma at the gills of E. stoutii, under control and high PCO₂ (hypercapnic) exposure conditions. We assessed the relative contributions of plasma accessible versus intracellular (cytosolic) CA to gill HCO₃^- excretion by measuring in situ [¹⁴C]-HCO₃^- fluxes. To accomplish this, we employed a novel surgical technique of individual gill pouch arterial perfusion combined with perifusion of the gill afferent to efferent water ducts. [¹⁴C]-HCO₃^- efflux was measured at the gills of fish exposed to control, hypercapnic (48 h) and recovery from hypercapnia conditions (6 h), in the presence of two well-known pharmacological inhibitors of CA, the membrane impermeant C18 (targets membrane bound, plasma accessible CA) and membrane-permeant acetazolamide, which targets all forms of CA, including extracellular and intracellular cytosolic CAs. C18 did not affect HCO₃^- flux in control fish, whereas acetazolamide resulted in a significant reduction of 72%. In hypercapnic fish, HCO₃^- fluxes were much higher and perfusion with acetazolamide caused a reduction of HCO₃^- flux by 38%. The same pattern was observed for fish in recovery, where in all three experimental conditions, there was no significant inhibition of plasma-accessible CA. We also observed no change in CA enzyme activity (measured in vitro) in any of the experimental PCO₂ conditions. In summary, our data suggests that there are additional pathways for HCO₃^- excretion at the gills of hagfish that are independent of plasma-accessible CA.

Infections, Pandemics, and Sleep Disorders

Studies of the neurological symptoms and signs associated with the acute and late phases of infectious diseases are important in pandemic conditions. The novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the number of patients with sleeplessness, this being an adverse prognostic factor for infections. This review addresses the factors and mechanisms of sleep impairments and their relationship with inflammation and immune system dysfunction in infectious diseases. In particular, impairments to the functioning of the melatoninergic system are discussed as the cause of sleeplessness during pandemics. The relevance of developing measures for rehabilitating patients, particularly use of Sonnovan to restore normal sleep, which plays a fundamental role in supporting people's mental and physical health, is emphasized.

Melatonin effects on sleep quality and outcomes of COVID-19 patients: An open-label, randomized, controlled trial

This trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of adding melatonin to the treatment protocol of hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. This was an open-label, randomized controlled clinical trial in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Patients were randomized into a treatment arm receiving melatonin plus standard care or a control arm receiving standard care alone. The trial's primary endpoint was sleep quality examined by the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (LSEQ). The trial's secondary endpoints were symptoms alleviation by Day 7, intensive care unit admission, 10-day mortality, white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, C-reactive protein status, and peripheral capillary oxygen saturation. Ninety-six patients were recruited and allocated to either the melatonin arm (n = 48) or control arm (n = 48). Baseline characteristics were similar across treatment arms. There was no significant difference in symptoms on Day 7. The mean of the LSEQ scores was significantly higher in the melatonin group (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in laboratory data, except for blood oxygen saturation, which has improved significantly in the melatonin group compared with the control group (95.81% vs. 93.65% respectively, p = 0.003). This clinical trial study showed that the combination of oral melatonin tablets and standard treatment could substantially improve sleep quality and blood oxygen saturation in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

[Infections, pandemics and sleep disorders]

The study of neurological symptoms and signs connected with acute and long-term periods of infectious diseases is relevant during pandemics. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of patients suffering from insomnia. Sleep disturbance is an unfavorable prognostic factor for infections. Risk factors and mechanisms of sleep disturbance, their relationship with inflammation and dysfunction of the immune system in infectious diseases are presented. In particular, dysfunction of the melatonergic system as the cause of insomnia during pandemics is considered. The authors highlight the relevance of measures aimed at the rehabilitation of patients, in particular, the use of sonnovan to restore normal sleep, which is important for a person's mental and physical health.

Melatonin potentials against viral infections including COVID-19: Current evidence and new findings

Viral infections are dangerous diseases for human health worldwide, which lead to significant morbidity and mortality each year. Because of their importance and the lack of effective therapeutic approaches, further attempts should be made to discover appropriate alternative or complementary treatments. Melatonin, a multifunctional neurohormone mainly synthesized and secreted by the pineal gland, plays some roles in the treatment of viral infections. Regarding a deadly outbreak of COVID-19 across the world, we decided to discuss melatonin functions against various viral infections including COVID-19. Therefore, in this review, we summarize current evidence on melatonin therapy for viral infections with focus on possible underlying mechanisms of melatonin actions.

Evolution of epithelial sodium channels: current concepts and hypotheses

The conquest of freshwater and terrestrial habitats was a key event during vertebrate evolution. Occupation of low-salinity and dry environments required significant osmoregulatory adaptations enabling stable ion and water homeostasis. Sodium is one of the most important ions within the extracellular liquid of vertebrates, and molecular machinery for urinary reabsorption of this electrolyte is critical for the maintenance of body osmoregulation. Key ion channels involved in the fine-tuning of sodium homeostasis in tetrapod vertebrates are epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs), which allow the selective influx of sodium ions across the apical membrane of epithelial cells lining the distal nephron or the colon. Furthermore, ENaC-mediated sodium absorption across tetrapod lung epithelia is crucial for the control of liquid volumes lining the pulmonary surfaces. ENaCs are vertebrate-specific members of the degenerin/ENaC family of cation channels; however, there is limited knowledge on the evolution of ENaC within this ion channel family. This review outlines current concepts and hypotheses on ENaC phylogeny and discusses the emergence of regulation-defining sequence motifs in the context of osmoregulatory adaptations during tetrapod terrestrialization. In light of the distinct regulation and expression of ENaC isoforms in tetrapod vertebrates, we discuss the potential significance of ENaC orthologs in osmoregulation of fishes as well as the putative fates of atypical channel isoforms in mammals. We hypothesize that ancestral proton-sensitive ENaC orthologs might have aided the osmoregulatory adaptation to freshwater environments whereas channel regulation by proteases evolved as a molecular adaptation to lung liquid homeostasis in terrestrial tetrapods.

Did Acidic Stress Resistance in Vertebrates Evolve as Na+ /H+ Exchanger-Mediated Ammonia Excretion in Fish?

How vertebrates evolved different traits for acid excretion to maintain body fluid pH homeostasis is largely unknown. The evolution of Na⁺ /H⁺  exchanger (NHE)-mediated NH₄ ⁺ excretion in fishes is reported, and the coevolution with increased ammoniagenesis and accompanying gluconeogenesis is speculated to benefit vertebrates in terms of both internal homeostasis and energy metabolism response to acidic stress. The findings provide new insights into our understanding of the possible adaptation of fishes to progressing global environmental acidification. In human kidney, titratable H⁺ and NH₄ ⁺ comprise the two main components of net acid excretion. V-type H⁺ -ATPase-mediated H⁺ excretion may have developed in stenohaline lampreys when they initially invaded freshwater from marine habitats, but this trait is lost in most fishes. Instead, increased reliance on NHE-mediated NH₄ ⁺ excretion is gradually developed and intensified during fish evolution. Further investigations on more species will be needed to support the hypothesis. Also see the video abstract here https://youtu.be/vZuObtfm-34.

Acquisition of alanyl-alanine in an Agnathan: Characteristics of dipeptide transport across the hindgut of the Pacific hagfish Eptatretus stoutii

This study used ³ H-_L -alanyl-_L -alanine to demonstrate dipeptide uptake using in vitro gut sacs prepared from the hindgut of the Pacific hagfish Eptatretus stoutii. Concentration-dependent kinetic analysis resulted in a sigmoidal distribution with a maximal (± SE) uptake rate (J_max -like) of 70 ± 3 nmol cm^-2 h^-1 and an affinity constant (K_m -like) of 1072 ± 81 μM. Addition of high alanine concentrations to transport assays did not change dipeptide transport rates, indicating that hydrolysis of the dipeptide in mucosal solutions and subsequent uptake via apical amino acid transporters was not occurring, which was further supported by a K_m distinct from that of amino acid transport. Transport occurred independent of mucosal pH, but uptake was reduced by 42% in low mucosal sodium. This may implicate cooperation between peptide transporters and sodium-proton exchangers, previously demonstrated in several mammalian and teleost species. Finally, apical _L -alanyl-_L -alanine uptake rates (i.e., mucosal disappearance) were significantly increased following a meal, demonstrating regulation of uptake. Overall, this examination of dipeptide acquisition in the earliest extant Agnathan suggests evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of transport between hagfish and later-diverging vertebrates such as teleosts and mammals.

The effects of salinity and hypoxia exposure on oxygen consumption, ventilation, diffusive water exchange and ionoregulation in the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii)

Hagfishes (Class: Myxini) are marine jawless craniate fishes that are widely considered to be osmoconformers whose plasma [Na⁺], [Cl^-] and osmolality closely resemble that of sea water, although they have the ability to regulate plasma [Ca²⁺] and [Mg²⁺] below seawater levels. We investigated the responses of Pacific hagfish to changes in respiratory and ionoregulatory demands imposed by a 48-h exposure to altered salinity (25 ppt, 30 ppt (control) and 35 ppt) and by an acute hypoxia exposure (30 Torr; 4 kPa). When hagfish were exposed to 25 ppt, oxygen consumption rate (MO₂), ammonia excretion rate (J_amm) and unidirectional diffusive water flux rate (J_H2O, measured with ³H₂O) were all reduced, pointing to an interaction between ionoregulation and gas exchange. At 35 ppt, J_H2O was reduced, though MO₂ and J_amm did not change. As salinity increased, so did the difference between plasma and external water [Ca²⁺] and [Mg²⁺]. Notably, the same pattern was seen for plasma Cl^-, which was kept below seawater [Cl^-] at all salinities, while plasma [Na⁺] was regulated well above seawater [Na⁺], but plasma osmolality matched seawater values. MO₂ was reduced by 49% and J_H2O by 36% during hypoxia, despite a small elevation in overall ventilation. Our results depart from the "classical" osmorespiratory compromise but are in accord with responses in other hypoxia-tolerant fish; instead of an exacerbation of gill fluxes when gas transfer is upregulated, the opposite happens.

Immunohistochemical analysis of the distribution of molecules involved in ionic and pH regulation in the lancelet Branchiostoma floridae (Hubbs, 1922)

The aim of present work is to analyse the distribution of carbonic anhydrase II (CAII), cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR), vacuolar-type H⁺-ATPase (V-H⁺-ATPase), Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase, Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger (NHE) and SLC26A6 (solute carrier family 26, member 6), also known as pendrin protein, in the lancelet Branchiostoma floridae in order to go in depth in the evolution of osmoregulation and pH regulation in Chordates. In view of their phylogenetic position, lancelets may indeed provide a critical point of reference for studies on osmoregulation evolution in Chordates. The results of present work demonstrated that, except to Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase that is strongly expressed in nephridia only, all the other studied molecules are abundantly present in skin, coelomic epithelium, renal papillae and nephridia and hepatic coecum. Thus, it is possible to hypothesize that also in lancelet, as in fish, these organs are involved in pH control and ionic regulation. In the digestive tract of B. floridae, the intestine epithelium was weakly immune-reactive to all tested antibodies, while the hepatic coecum showed an intense immunoreactivity to all molecules. Since in amphioxus the hepatic coecum functions simultaneously as stomach, liver and pancreas, these immunohistochemical results proved the secretion of H+ and HCO₃^- ions, typical of digestive process. Colocalization studies indicated a co-expression of the studied proteins in all considered organs, excluding NHE and pendrin for renal papillae, since some renal papillae are NHE immunopositive only.

Novel and potential physiological roles of vacuolar-type H+-ATPase in marine organisms

The vacuolar-type H+-ATPase (VHA) is a multi-subunit enzyme that uses the energy from ATP hydrolysis to transport H+ across biological membranes. VHA plays a universal role in essential cellular functions, such as the acidification of lysosomes and endosomes. In addition, the VHA-generated H+-motive force can drive the transport of diverse molecules across cell membranes and epithelia for specialized physiological functions. Here, I discuss diverse physiological functions of VHA in marine animals, focusing on recent discoveries about base secretion in shark gills, potential bone dissolution by Osedax bone-eating worms and its participation in a carbon-concentrating mechanism that promotes coral photosynthesis. Because VHA is evolutionarily conserved among eukaryotes, it is likely to play many other essential physiological roles in diverse marine organisms. Elucidating and characterizing basic VHA-dependent mechanisms could help to determine species responses to environmental stress, including (but not limited to) that resulting from climate change.

What is the primary function of the early teleost gill? Evidence for Na+/NH+4 exchange in developing rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Post-hatch fishes lack a functional gill and use cutaneous surfaces for exchange with the surrounding environment. The ionoregulatory hypothesis posits that ionoregulation is the first physiological process to be limited by cutaneous exchange, necessitating its shift to the gills. We hypothesized that the ontogeny of branchial ammonia excretion (J amm) is coupled to Na(+) uptake (J Na in) in accordance with the current model for Na+/NH4+ in exchange in freshwater. Using divided chambers, branchial and cutaneous J amm, J Na in and oxygen consumption (MO2) by larval rainbow trout were assessed. Following hatch, the skin accounted for 97% and 86% of total J amm and J Na in, respectively. J amm and J Na in shifted to the gills simultaneously at 15 days post-hatch (dph) and were highly correlated (R(2) = 0.951) at the gills, but not the skin, over development. Contrastingly, MO2 shifted significantly later at 27 dph, in agreement with the ionoregulatory hypothesis. Moreover, the mRNA expression and/or enzymatic activity of Rhesus proteins, Na(+)/H(+)-exchanger, H(+)-ATPase, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and carbonic anhydrase, all key components of the Na+/NH4+-exchange system, increased in the gills over larval development. We propose that the ontogeny of branchial J Na in occurs as Na+/NH4+ exchange and provide evidence for a novel element to the ionoregulatory hypothesis, the excretion of potentially lethal metabolic ammonia.

Hagfish: Champions of CO2 tolerance question the origins of vertebrate gill function

The gill is widely accepted to have played a key role in the adaptive radiation of early vertebrates by supplanting the skin as the dominant site of gas exchange. However, in the most basal extant craniates, the hagfishes, gills play only a minor role in gas exchange. In contrast, we found hagfish gills to be associated with a tremendous capacity for acid-base regulation. Indeed, Pacific hagfish exposed acutely to severe sustained hypercarbia tolerated among the most severe blood acidoses ever reported (1.2 pH unit reduction) and subsequently exhibited the greatest degree of acid-base compensation ever observed in an aquatic chordate. This was accomplished through an unprecedented increase in plasma [HCO₃⁻] (>75 mM) in exchange for [Cl⁻]. We thus propose that the first physiological function of the ancestral gill was acid-base regulation, and that the gill was later co-opted for its central role in gas exchange in more derived aquatic vertebrates.

Ammonia excretion in the Atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) and responses of an Rhc glycoprotein

Hagfishes, the most ancient of the extant craniates, demonstrate a high tolerance for a number of unfavorable environmental conditions, including elevated ammonia. Proposed mechanisms of ammonia excretion in aquatic organisms include vesicular NH4+ transport and release by exocytosis in marine crabs, and passive NH3 diffusion, active NH4+ transport, and paracellular leakage of NH3 or NH4+ across the gills of fishes. Recently, an emerging paradigm suggests that Rhesus glycoproteins play a vital role in ammonia transport in both aquatic invertebrates and vertebrates. This study has identified an Rh glycoprotein ortholog from the gills of Atlantic hagfish. The hagfish Rhcg shares a 56–60% amino acid identity to other vertebrate Rhcg cDNAs. Sequence information was used to produce an anti-hagfish Rhcg (hRhcg) antibody. We have used hRhcg to localize protein expression to epithelial cells of the gill and the skin. In addition, we have quantified hRhcg expression following exposure to elevated plasma ammonia levels. Animals exposed to a 3 mmol/kg NH4Cl load resulted in significantly elevated plasma ammonia concentrations compared with controls for up to 4 h postinjection. This correlated with net ammonia excretion rates that were also significantly elevated for up to 4 h postinjection. Rhcg mRNA expression in both the gill and skin was significantly elevated by 15 min and 1 h, respectively, and hRhcg protein expression in gills was significantly elevated at 2, 4, and 8 h postinjection. These results demonstrate a potential role for Rhcg in the excretion of ammonia in the Atlantic hagfish.

Adaptations of a deep sea scavenger: high ammonia tolerance and active NH₄⁺ excretion by the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii)

The Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii) has an exceptional ability to both withstand and recover from exposure to high external ammonia (HEA). This tolerance is likely due to the feeding behavior of this scavenger, which feeds on intermittent food falls of carrion (e.g. fish, large marine mammals) during which time it may be exposed to high concentrations of total ammonia (T(Amm)=NH3+NH4(+)) while burrowed inside the decomposing carcass. Here we exposed hagfish to 20 mmol L(-1) T(Amm) for periods of up to 48 h and then let animals recover in ammonia-free seawater. During the 48 h HEA exposure period, plasma T(Amm) increased 100-fold to over 5000 μmol L(-1) while ammonia excretion (J(amm)) was transiently inhibited. This increase in plasma T(Amm) resulted from NH3 influx down massive inwardly directed ΔP(NH3) gradients, which also led to a short-lived metabolic alkalosis. Plasma [T(Amm)] stabilized after 24-48 h, possibly through a reduction in NH3 permeability across the body surface, which lowered NH3 influx. Ammonia balance was subsequently maintained through the re-establishment of J(amm) against an inwardly directed ΔP(NH3). Calculations of the Nernst potential for ammonia strongly indicated that J(amm) was also taking place against a large inwardly directed NH4(+) electrochemical gradient. Recovery from HEA in ammonia-free water was characterized by a large ammonia washout, and the restoration of plasma TAmm concentrations to near control concentrations. Ammonia clearance was also accompanied by a residual metabolic acidosis, which likely offset the ammonia-induced metabolic alkalosis seen in the early stages of HEA exposure. We conclude that restoration of J(amm) by the Pacific hagfish during ammonia exposure likely involves secondary active transport of NH4(+), possibly mediated by Na(+)/NH4(+) (H(+)) exchange.

Expression of carbonic anhydrase, cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) and V-H(+)-ATPase in the lancelet Branchiostoma lanceolatum (Pallas, 1774)

Sequencing of the amphioxus genome revealed that it contains a basic set of chordate genes involved in development and cell signaling. Despite the availability of genomic data, up till now no studies have been addressed on the comprehension of the amphioxus osmoregulation. Using primers designed on Branchiostoma floridae carbonic anhydrase (CA) II, cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) and V-H(+)-ATPase, a 100bp long region, containing the protein region recognized by the respective antibodies, has been amplified and sequenced in B. lanceolatum indicating the presence of hortologous V-ATPase, CFTR and carbonic anhydrase II genes in Branchiostoma lanceolatum. Immunohistochemical results showed that all three transporting proteins are expressed in almost 90% of epithelial cells of the skin in B. lanceolatum adults with a different degree of positivity in different regions of body wall and with a different localization in the cells. The comparison of results between young and adult lancelets showed that the distribution of these transporters is quite different. Indeed, in the young specimens the expression pattern of all tested molecules appears concentrated at the gut level, whereas in adult the gut loses its key role that is mostly supported by skin.

How to get into bones: proton pump and carbonic anhydrase in Osedax boneworms

Osedax are gutless siboglinid worms that thrive on vertebrate bones lying on the ocean floor, mainly those of whales. The posterior body of female Osedax penetrates into the bone forming extensions known as 'roots', which host heterotrophic symbiotic bacteria in bacteriocytes beneath the epidermis. The Osedax root epithelium presumably absorbs bone collagen and/or lipids, which are metabolized by the symbiotic bacteria that in turn serve for Osedax's nutrition. Here, we show that Osedax roots express extremely high amounts of vacuolar-H(+)-ATPase (VHA), which is located in the apical membrane and in cytoplasmic vesicles of root and ovisac epithelial cells. The enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA), which catalyses the hydration of CO2 into H(+) and HCO3(-), is also expressed in roots and throughout Osedax body. These results suggest Osedax roots have massive acid-secreting capacity via VHA, fuelled by H(+) derived from the CA-catalysed hydration of CO2 produced by aerobic metabolism. We propose the secreted acid dissolves the bone carbonate matrix to then allow the absorption of bone-derived nutrients across the skin. In an exciting example of convergent evolution, this model for acid secretion is remarkably similar to mammalian osteoclast cells. However, while osteoclasts dissolve bone for repairing and remodelling, the Osedax root epithelium secretes acid to dissolve foreign bone to access nutrients.

Ammonia and urea excretion in the Pacific hagfish Eptatretus stoutii: Evidence for the involvement of Rh and UT proteins

The nature of ammonia and urea excretion was examined in the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii), which, under resting conditions, excreted similar quantities of nitrogen as either ammonia or urea. In the presence of high external ammonia (HEA) concentrations, ammonia was taken up at high rates and then excreted at similarly high rates upon return to normal water. However, although elevated by HEA, plasma ammonia levels were maintained at approximately 1-4 μmolNg⁻¹, reflecting time-dependent decreases in the rates of ammonia uptake, the possible conversion of ammonia to urea, and the potential active excretion of ammonia against a gradient. Internal injections of NH₄Cl caused marked increases in the rate of ammonia excretion and a delayed increase in urea excretion that may have resulted from increasing urea levels in the plasma. Conversely, when the rate of urea excretion was reduced in the presence of 0.1 mM phloretin, ammonia excretion was significantly elevated. Rates of urea excretion were initially increased by approximately 1000-fold following internal urea injections while the presence of high external urea levels (5-100 mM final concentration) resulted in associated linear increases in plasma urea levels. Using hagfish skin mounted in Ussing chambers, the rate of diffusion of ammonia across the skin exceeded that of urea by approximately four times when equivalent gradients were imposed. Based on western blotting and immunocytochemistry, hagfish gill appears to possess Rh proteins (Rhag, Rhbg and Rhcg1) and urea transporter proteins. Despite the tolerance of hagfish to high levels of ammonia and urea, it is suggested that the presence of ammonia and urea transporter proteins may be required during the period of time hagfish spend in burrows or while feeding, when conditions of high ammonia and/or urea might be encountered.

A brief history of the study of fish osmoregulation: the central role of the Mt. Desert Island Biological Laboratory

The Mt. Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL) has played a central role in the study of fish osmoregulation for the past 80 years. In particular, scientists at the MDIBL have made significant discoveries in the basic pattern of fish osmoregulation, the function of aglomerular kidneys and proximal tubular secretion, the roles of NaCl cotransporters in intestinal uptake and gill and rectal gland secretion, the role of the shark rectal gland in osmoregulation, the mechanisms of salt secretion by the teleost fish gill epithelium, and the evolution of the ionic uptake mechanisms in fish gills. This short review presents the history of these discoveries and their relationships to the study of epithelial transport in general.

Modulation of NaCl absorption by [HCO(3)(-)] in the marine teleost intestine is mediated by soluble adenylyl cyclase

Intestinal HCO(3)(-) secretion and NaCl absorption are essential for counteracting dehydration in marine teleost fish. We investigated how these two processes are coordinated in toadfish. HCO(3)(-) stimulated a luminal positive short-circuit current (I(sc)) in intestine mounted in Ussing chamber, bathed with the same saline solution on the external and internal sides of the epithelium. The I(sc) increased proportionally to the [HCO(3)(-)] in the bath up to 80 mM NaHCO(3), and it did not occur when NaHCO(3) was replaced with Na(+)-gluconate or with NaHCO(3) in Cl(-)-free saline. HCO(3)(-) (20 mM) induced a approximately 2.5-fold stimulation of I(sc), and this [HCO(3)(-)] was used in all subsequent experiments. The HCO(3)(-)-stimulated I(sc) was prevented or abolished by apical application of 10 muM bumetanide (a specific inhibitor of NKCC) and by 30 microM 4-catechol estrogen [CE; an inhibitor of soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC)]. The inhibitory effects of bumetanide and CE were not additive. The HCO(3)(-)-stimulated I(sc) was prevented by apical bafilomycin (1 microM) and etoxolamide (1 mM), indicating involvement of V-H(+)-ATPase and carbonic anhydrases, respectively. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of an NKCC2-like protein in the apical membrane and subapical area of epithelial intestinal cells, of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase in basolateral membranes, and of an sAC-like protein in the cytoplasm. We propose that sAC regulates NKCC activity in response to luminal HCO(3)(-), and that V-H(+)-ATPase and intracellular carbonic anhydrase are essential for transducing luminal HCO(3)(-) into the cell by CO(2)/HCO(3)(-) hydration/dehydration. This mechanism putatively coordinates HCO(3)(-) secretion with NaCl and water absorption in toadfish intestine.

Ammonia and urea transporters in gills of fish and aquatic crustaceans

The diversity of mechanisms of ammonia and urea excretion by the gills and other epithelia of aquatic organisms, especially fish and crustaceans, has been studied for decades. Although the decades-old dogma of ;aquatic species excrete ammonia' still explains nitrogenous waste excretion for many species, it is clear that there are many mechanistic variations on this theme. Even within species that are ammonoteles, the process is not purely ;passive', often relying on the energizing effects of proton and sodium-potassium ATPases. Within the ammonoteles, Rh (Rhesus) proteins are beginning to emerge as vital ammonia conduits. Many fishes are also known to be capable of substantial synthesis and excretion of urea as a nitrogenous waste. In such species, members of the UT family of urea transporters have been identified as important players in urea transport across the gills. This review attempts to draw together recent information to update the mechanisms of ammonia and urea transport by the gills of aquatic species. Furthermore, we point out several potentially fruitful avenues for further research.

Carbonic anhydrase and acid–base regulation in fish

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) is the zinc metalloenzyme that catalyses the reversible reactions of CO2 with water. CA plays a crucial role in systemic acid–base regulation in fish by providing acid–base equivalents for exchange with the environment. Unlike air-breathing vertebrates, which frequently utilize alterations of breathing (respiratory compensation) to regulate acid–base status, acid–base balance in fish relies almost entirely upon the direct exchange of acid–base equivalents with the environment (metabolic compensation). The gill is the critical site of metabolic compensation, with the kidney playing a supporting role. At the gill, cytosolic CA catalyses the hydration of CO2 to H+ and HCO3– for export to the water. In the kidney, cytosolic and membrane-bound CA isoforms have been implicated in HCO3– reabsorption and urine acidification. In this review, the CA isoforms that have been identified to date in fish will be discussed together with their tissue localizations and roles in systemic acid–base regulation.

Theoretical considerations underlying Na(+) uptake mechanisms in freshwater fishes

Ion and acid-base regulating mechanisms have been studied at the fish gill for almost a century. Original models proposed for Na(+) and Cl(-) uptake, and their linkage with H(+) and HCO(3)(-) secretion have changed substantially with the development of more sophisticated physiological techniques. At the freshwater fish gill, two dominant mechanisms for Na(+) uptake from dilute environments have persisted in the literature. The use of an apical Na(+)/H(+) exchanger driven by a basolateral Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase versus an apical Na(+) channel electrogenically coupled to an apical H(+)-ATPase have been the source of debate for a number of years. Advances in molecular biology have greatly enhanced our understanding of the basic ion transport mechanisms at the fish gill. However, it is imperative to ensure that thermodynamic principles are followed in the development of new models for gill ion transport. This review will focus on the recent molecular advances for Na(+) uptake in freshwater fish. Emphasis will be placed on thermodynamic constraints that prevent electroneutral apical NHE function in most freshwater environments. By combining recent advances in molecular and functional physiology of fish gills with thermodynamic considerations of ion transport, our knowledge in the field should continue to grow in a logical manner.

Branchial expression and localization of SLC9A2 and SLC9A3 sodium/hydrogen exchangers and their possible role in acid-base regulation in freshwater rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Experiments were conducted on adult rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to test the hypothesis that SLC9 Na+/H+ exchangers (SLC9A2, NHE2; and SLC9A3, NHE3) on the gill epithelium are localized specifically to a subset of mitochondria-rich cells (MRCs) that are unable to bind peanut lectin agglutinin (PNA). This cell type, termed the PNA- MRC, is a sub-type of MRC believed to function in Na+ uptake and acid excretion. A technique using biotinylated PNA was used to distinguish between the PNA- and PNA+ MRCs on fixed gill sections. In contrast to expectations, both NHE2 (mRNA) and NHE3 (protein) were confined to cells enriched with Na+/K+-ATPase and capable of binding PNA. Thus, in trout, NHE2 and NHE3 are localized to PNA+ MRCs, the cells previously believed to be responsible for Cl- uptake and base excretion. Levels of mRNA for NHE2, the predominant isoform in the gill, were increased during 72 h of hypercapnic acidosis; NHE3 mRNA and protein levels were unaffected. Because plasma cortisol levels were increased during hypercapnia (from 35.3+/-9.4 to 100.1+/-30.9 ng ml(-1)), the effects of experimentally elevated cortisol levels on NHE expression were investigated. The elevation of plasma cortisol using intraperitoneal implants caused a significant increase in NHE2 mRNA expression without affecting NHE3 mRNA or protein abundance. Thus, we suggest that NHE2 contributes to acid-base regulation during hypercapnia owing to its transcriptional regulation by cortisol. The finding of NHE expression in PNA+ MRCs is discussed with reference to current models of ionic and acid-base regulation in teleost fish.

Regulation of ion transport by pH and [HCO3−] in isolated gills of the crabNeohelice(Chasmagnathus)granulata

Posterior isolated gills of Neohelice ( Chasmagnathus) granulatus were symmetrically perfused with hemolymph-like saline of varying [HCO3−] and pH. Elevating [HCO3−] in the saline from 2.5 to 12.5 mmol/l (pH 7.75 in both cases) induced a significant increase in the transepithelial potential difference ( Vte), a measure of ion transport. The elevation in [HCO3−] also induced a switch from acid secretion (−43.7 ± 22.5 μequiv·kg−1·h−1) in controls to base secretion (84.7 ± 14.4 μequiv·kg−1·h−1). The HCO3−-induced Vteincrease was inhibited by basolateral acetazolamide (200 μmol/l), amiloride (1 mmol/l), and ouabain (5 mmol/l) but not by bafilomycin (100 nmol/l). The Vteresponse to HCO3−did not take place in Cl−-free conditions; however, it was unaffected by apical SITS (2 mmol/l) or DIDS (1 mmol/l). A decrease in pH from 7.75 to 7.45 pH units in the perfusate also induced a significant increase in Vte, which was matched by a net increase in acid secretion of 67.8 ± 18.4 μequiv kg−1h−1. This stimulation was sensitive to basolateral acetazolamide, bafilomycin, DIDS, and Na+-free conditions, but it still took place in Cl−-free saline. Therefore, the cellular response to low pH is different from the HCO3−-stimulated response. We also report V-H+-ATPase- and Na+-K+-ATPase-like immunoreactivity in gill sections for the first time in this crab. Our results suggest that carbonic anhydrase (CA), basolateral Na+/H+exchangers and Na+-K+-ATPase and apical anion exchangers participate in the HCO3−-stimulated response, while CA, apical V-H+-ATPase and basolateral HCO3−-dependent cotransporters mediate the response to low pH.

Recovery from blood alkalosis in the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii): Involvement of gill V–H+–ATPase and Na+/K+–ATPase

To investigate the base secretory mechanisms in the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii), we injected animals with NaHCO3 into the subcutaneous sinus. In the first series of experiments, hagfish were injected with 6000 micromol kg(-1) NaHCO3 (base-infused hagfish, BIH) or NaCl (controls). Blood pH increased significantly 1 h after injection in BIH (8.05+/-0.05 vs. 7.82+/-0.03 pH units), but returned to control values by t=6 h. Plasma total CO2 (TCO2) followed the same pattern. Immunolabeled sections revealed that Na+/K+-ATPase and V-H+-ATPase were usually located in the same cells. Western blotting revealed that the abundance of both proteins remained unchanged in whole gill homogenates and in a fraction enriched in cell membranes 6 h after the injections. The second experimental series was to induce long-term alkalosis by serially injecting 6000 micromol kg(-1) NaHCO3 every 6 h for 24 h. Blood pH completely recovered from the base loads within 6 h after each injection. Moreover, plasma TCO2 was not elevated 3 h after the second infusion, suggesting that HCO3(-) secreting mechanisms had been upregulated by that time. Na+/K+-ATPase and V-H+-ATPase cellular localizations did not change in the 24 h base infusion protocol. Na+/K+-ATPase abundance was similar in gill homogenates from fish from both treatments. However, Na+/K+-ATPase abundance in the membrane fraction was significantly lower in BIH, while V-H+-ATPase was greater both in whole gill and membrane fractions. Our results suggest that differential insertion of V-H+-ATPase and Na+/K+-ATPase into the basolateral membrane is involved in recovering from alkalotic stress in hagfish.

Blood and gill responses to HCl infusions in the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii)

Pacific hagfish ( Eptatretus stoutii (Lockington, 1878)) were serially infused with HCl (6000 µmol·kg–1) every 6 h over a 24 h period to explore branchial acid secretion mechanisms. Blood pH recovered from a value ~2 pH units below that of resting pH. This pH regulatory mechanism was activated by 6 h and persisted over the 24 h time course. Western-blot analysis revealed an increased abundance (~2.3×) of NHE2-like immunoreactivity (NHE2 L-IR) in whole gill fractions from HCl-infused fish compared with control NaCl-infused fish. Membrane fractions isolated from the gills of HCl-infused fish also showed an increased abundance (~1.8×). Immunohistochemistry results demonstrated a significant redistribution of NHE2 L-IR to the apical region in HCl-infused fish. V-H+-ATPase abundance did not significantly increase in HCl-infused fish, while levels of Na+/K+-ATPase expression were unchanged. Immunohistochemistry of these transporters did not show any changes in cellular localization. We propose that the Pacific hagfish overcomes a metabolic acidosis via an increased synthesis of an NHE-like protein and an increased density of the transporter at the apical region of the mitochondria-rich cells of the gill.