Mineral homeostasis and regulation of mineralization processes in the skeletons of sharks, rays and relatives (Elasmobranchii)

Interactive three-dimensional atlas of the mineralized skeleton of the sand tiger shark Carcharias taurus

Non-invasive computed tomography (CT) of an adult sand tiger shark Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810 is used to provide an interactive three-dimensional 'general' shark (Selachimorpha) anatomy atlas. Given its post-cranial body morphology, the sand tiger shark appeared to be a well-chosen candidate and through comparison of the sand tiger shark with several other representatives of all eight established orders of sharks, we confirm that the relatively large degree of mineralization of the endoskeleton, along with the overall size, makes the sand tiger shark an ideal candidate for skeletal segmentation and construction of a skeletal atlas using conventional CT. This atlas both increases accessibility to the internal morphological features of the sand tiger shark and provides a more generalized overview of the skeletal anatomy of sharks and can aid as a supplement to destructive fresh dissection of specimens in the future and the construction of future skeletal atlases of other less mineralized sharks.

Husbandry conditions of spotted ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei, Chimaeriformes) in aquaria for successful embryonic development and long-term survival of juveniles

The spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei is the most common holocephalan species exhibited in aquaria worldwide for introducing deep-sea environments and raising awareness of their conservation. However, little is known about the biology of H. colliei. Current practices in aquaria allow long-term survival of sexually mature H. colliei specimens; however, this species struggles to complete a reproductive cycle in captivity mostly because embryos do not reach the hatchling stage. The aquarists of Planet Ocean Montpellier (POM, France) have bred H. colliei for 15 years and recorded parameters suitable for this species' successful embryonic and post-embryonic development. POM aquarists now regularly record egg-laying events of H. colliei and use four tanks to incubate eggs and raise neonates, late hatchlings, early and intermediate juveniles, subadults, and sexually mature specimens. In this work we provide the first long-term biometric data on H. colliei from the hatchling to the subadult stage. We also report the biotic and abiotic parameters sufficient to breed H. colliei in aquaria. We finally describe the methods used to facilitate individual monitoring of specimens along the ontogeny and several pathologies identified in this species, their putative causes, and the corresponding treatments. This work highlights the importance of ex situ research and points to the valuable outcomes of collaborative efforts between aquaria and academia in deciphering the biology of species whose study in the wild remains challenging.

The effect of tessellation on stiffness in the hyoid arch of elasmobranchs

Tessellated cartilage forms much of the skeleton of sharks and rays, in contrast to most other aquatic vertebrates who possess a skeleton of bone. Interestingly, many species of sharks and rays also regularly generate exceptionally high forces in the execution of day-to-day activities, such as when feeding on bony fish, mammals, and hard-shelled invertebrates. Tessellated cartilage differs from other types of cartilage in that they are covered by an outer layer of small mineralized tiles (tesserae) that are connected by fibrous connective tissue. Tesserae, therefore, are hypothesized to play a role in stiffening the cartilaginous skeleton for food capture and other activities that require the generation of high forces. In this study, the hyomandibula and ceratohyal cartilages, which support the jaw and throat regions of sharks and rays, were tested under compressive load in a material testing system to determine the contribution of tesserae to stiffness. Previous hypotheses suggest an abrupt upward shift in the slope of the stress-strain curve in tessellated materials due to collision of tesserae. Young's Modulus (E) was calculated and used to evaluate cartilage stiffness in a range of elasmobranch species. Our results revealed that there was an abrupt shift in Young's Modulus for elements loaded in compression. We postulate that this shift, characterized by an inflection point in the stress-strain curve, is the result of the tesserae approaching one another and compressing the intervening fibrous tissue, supporting the hypothesis that tesserae function to stiffen these cartilages under compressive loading regimes. Using published data for nontessellated cartilage for comparison, we show that this shift is, as expected, unique to tessellated cartilage.

Bricks, trusses and superstructures: Strategies for skeletal reinforcement in batoid fishes (rays and skates)

Crushing and eating hard prey (durophagy) is mechanically demanding. The cartilage jaws of durophagous stingrays are known to be reinforced relative to non-durophagous relatives, with a thickened external cortex of mineralized blocks (tesserae), reinforcing struts inside the jaw (trabeculae), and pavement-like dentition. These strategies for skeletal strengthening against durophagy, however, are largely understood only from myliobatiform stingrays, although a hard prey diet has evolved multiple times in batoid fishes (rays, skates, guitarfishes). We perform a quantitative analysis of micro-CT data, describing jaw strengthening mechanisms in Rhina ancylostoma (Bowmouth Guitarfish) and Rhynchobatus australiae (White-spotted Wedgefish), durophagous members of the Rhinopristiformes, the sister taxon to Myliobatiformes. Both species possess trabeculae, more numerous and densely packed in Rhina, albeit simpler structurally than those in stingrays like Aetobatus and Rhinoptera. Rhina and Rhynchobatus exhibit impressively thickened jaw cortices, often involving >10 tesseral layers, most pronounced in regions where dentition is thickest, particularly in Rhynchobatus. Age series of both species illustrate that tesserae increase in size during growth, with enlarged and irregular tesserae associated with the jaws’ oral surface in larger (older) individuals of both species, perhaps a feature of ageing. Unlike the flattened teeth of durophagous myliobatiform stingrays, both rhinopristiform species have oddly undulating dentitions, comprised of pebble-like teeth interlocked to form compound “meta-teeth” (large spheroidal structures involving multiple teeth). This is particularly striking in Rhina, where the upper/lower occlusal surfaces are mirrored undulations, fitting together like rounded woodworking finger-joints. Trabeculae were previously thought to have arisen twice independently in Batoidea; our results show they are more widespread among batoid groups than previously appreciated, albeit apparently absent in the phylogenetically basal Rajiformes. Comparisons with several other durophagous and non-durophagous species illustrate that batoid skeletal reinforcement architectures are modular: trabeculae can be variously oriented and are dominant in some species (e.g. Rhina, Aetobatus), whereas cortical thickening is more significant in others (e.g. Rhynchobatus), or both reinforcing features can be lacking (e.g. Raja, Urobatis). We discuss interactions and implications of character states, framing a classification scheme for exploring cartilage structure evolution in the cartilaginous fishes.

Biomechanics of the jaws of spotted ratfish

Elasmobranch fishes (sharks, skates and rays) consume prey of a variety of sizes and properties, and the feeding mechanism typically reflects diet. Spotted ratfish, Hydrolagus colliei (Holocephali, sister group of elasmobranchs), consume both hard and soft prey; however, the morphology of the jaws does not reflect the characteristics typical of durophagous elasmobranchs. This study investigated the mechanical properties and morphological characteristics of the jaws of spotted ratfish over ontogeny, including strain, stiffness and second moment of area, to evaluate the biomechanical function of the feeding structures. Compressive stiffness of the jaws (E=13.51-21.48 MPa) is similar to that of silicone rubber, a very flexible material. In Holocephali, the upper jaw is fused to the cranium; we show that this fusion reduces deformation experienced by the upper jaw during feeding. The lower jaw resists bending primarily in the posterior half of the jaw, which occludes with the region of the upper jaw that is wider and flatter, thus potentially providing an ideal location for the lower jaw to crush or crack prey. The mechanical properties and morphology of the feeding apparatus of spotted ratfish suggest that while the low compressive stiffness is a material limit of the jaw cartilage, spotted ratfish, and perhaps all holocephalans, evolved structural solutions (i.e. fused upper jaw, shape variation along lower jaw) to meet the demands of a durophagous diet.

Shark teeth can resist ocean acidification

Ocean acidification can cause dissolution of calcium carbonate minerals in biological structures of many marine organisms, which can be exacerbated by warming. However, it is still unclear whether this also affects organisms that have body parts made of calcium phosphate minerals (e.g. shark teeth), which may also be impacted by the 'corrosive' effect of acidified seawater. Thus, we examined the effect of ocean acidification and warming on the mechanical properties of shark teeth (Port Jackson shark, Heterodontus portusjacksoni), and assessed whether their mineralogical properties can be modified in response to predicted near-future seawater pH (-0.3 units) and temperature (+3°C) changes. We found that warming resulted in the production of more brittle teeth (higher elastic modulus and lower mechanical resilience) that were more vulnerable to physical damage. Yet, when combined with ocean acidification, the durability of teeth increased (i.e. less prone to physical damage due to the production of more elastic teeth) so that they did not differ from those raised under ambient conditions. The teeth were chiefly made of fluorapatite (Ca₅ (PO₄ )₃ F), with increased fluoride content under ocean acidification that was associated with increased crystallinity. The increased precipitation of this highly insoluble mineral under ocean acidification suggests that the sharks could modulate and enhance biomineralization to produce teeth which are more resistant to corrosion. This adaptive mineralogical adjustment could allow some shark species to maintain durability and functionality of their teeth, which underpins a fundamental component of predation and sustenance of the trophic dynamics of future oceans.

Shark centra microanatomy and mineral density variation studied with laboratory microComputed Tomography

Centra of shark vertebrae from three species of Lamniformes (Alopias vulpinus, Carcharodon carcharias and Isurus oxyrinchus) and three species of Carcharhiniformes (Carcharhinus plumbeus, Carcharhinus obscurus and Prionace glauca) were imaged with laboratory microcomputed Tomography (microCT) using volume element (voxel) sizes between 16 and 24 µm. Linear attenuation coefficients were the same in the corpus calcarea (hour-glass-shaped cone) and intermedialia of the lamniforms but were smaller in the intermedialia than in the corpus calcarea of the carcharhiniforms. All centra contained growth bands which were visible as small changes in linear attenuation coefficient. In all six cases, the cross-sections of the cones were close to circular, and the cone angles matched those reported in the literature. Cartilage canals were a prominent structure in the intermedialia of all species, 3D renderings of centra of C. obscurus and I. oxyrinchus diameters showed these canals ran radially outward from the cone walls, and canal diameters were consistent with the limited numerical values in the literature. Somewhat higher calcification levels around the periphery of cartilage canals and of outer surfaces of the intermedialia and corpus calcerea suggest microstructural variation exists at scale below that which can be resolved in the present data sets.

Diversity and Evolution of Mineralized Skeletal Tissues in Chondrichthyans

The diversity of skeletal tissues in extant vertebrates includes mineralized and unmineralized structures made of bone, cartilage, or tissues of intermediate nature. This variability, together with the diverse nature of skeletal tissues in fossil species question the origin of skeletonization in early vertebrates. In particular, the study of skeletal tissues in cartilaginous fishes is currently mostly restrained to tessellated cartilage, a derived form of mineralized cartilage that evolved at the origin of this group. In this work, we describe the architectural and histological diversity of neural arch mineralization in cartilaginous fishes. The observed variations in the architecture include tessellated cartilage, with or without more massive sites of mineralization, and continuously mineralized neural arches devoid of tesserae. The histology of these various architectures always includes globular mineralization that takes place in the cartilaginous matrix. In many instances, the mineralized structures also include a fibrous component that seems to emerge from the perichondrium and they may display intermediate features, ranging from partly cartilaginous to mostly fibrous matrix, similar to fibrocartilage. Among these perichondrial mineralized tissues is also found, in few species, a lamellar arrangement of the mineralized extracellular matrix. The evolution of the mineralized tissues in cartilaginous fishes is discussed in light of current knowledge of their phylogenetic relationships.

The multiscale architecture of tessellated cartilage and its relation to function

When describing the architecture and ultrastructure of animal skeletons, introductory biology, anatomy and histology textbooks typically focus on the few bone and cartilage types prevalent in humans. In reality, cartilage and bone are far more diverse in the animal kingdom, particularly within fishes (Chondrichthyes and Actinopterygii), where cartilage and bone types are characterized by features that are anomalous or even pathological in human skeletons. This review discusses the curious and complex architectures of shark and ray tessellated cartilage, highlighting similarities and differences with their mammalian skeletal tissue counterparts. By synthesizing older anatomical literature with recent high-resolution structural and materials characterization work, this review frames emerging pictures of form-function relationships in this tissue and of the evolution and true diversity of cartilage and bone.

Mineralization of the Callorhinchus Vertebral Column (Holocephali; Chondrichthyes)

Members of the Chondrichthyes (Elasmobranchii and Holocephali) are distinguished by their largely cartilaginous endoskeletons, which comprise an uncalcified core overlain by a mineralized layer; in the Elasmobranchii (sharks, skates, rays) most of this mineralization takes the form of calcified polygonal tiles known as tesserae. In recent years, these skeletal tissues have been described in ever increasing detail in sharks and rays, but those of Holocephali (chimaeroids) have been less well-studied, with conflicting accounts as to whether or not tesserae are present. During embryonic ontogeny in holocephalans, cervical vertebrae fuse to form a structure called the synarcual. The synarcual mineralizes early and progressively, anteroposteriorly and dorsoventrally, and therefore presents a good skeletal structure in which to observe mineralized tissues in this group. Here, we describe the development and mineralization of the synarcual in an adult and stage 36 elephant shark embryo (Callorhinchus milii). Small, discrete, but irregular blocks of cortical mineralization are present in stage 36, similar to what has been described recently in embryos of other chimaeroid taxa such as Hydrolagus, while in Callorhinchus adults, the blocks of mineralization are more irregular, but remain small. This differs from fossil members of the holocephalan crown group (Edaphodon), as well as from stem group holocephalans (e.g., Symmorida, Helodus, Iniopterygiformes), where tesserae are notably larger than in Callorhinchus and show similarities to elasmobranch tesserae, for example with respect to polygonal shape.

Feedback regulation of crystal growth by buffering monomer concentration

Crystallization is a ubiquitous means of self-assembly that can organize matter over length scales orders of magnitude larger than those of the monomer units. Yet crystallization is notoriously difficult to control because it is exquisitely sensitive to monomer concentration, which changes as monomers are depleted during growth. Living cells control crystallization using chemical reaction networks that offset depletion by synthesizing or activating monomers to regulate monomer concentration, stabilizing growth conditions even as depletion rates change, and thus reliably yielding desired products. Using DNA nanotubes as a model system, here we show that coupling a generic reversible bimolecular monomer buffering reaction to a crystallization process leads to reliable growth of large, uniformly sized crystals even when crystal growth rates change over time. Buffering could be applied broadly as a simple means to regulate and sustain batch crystallization and could facilitate the self-assembly of complex, hierarchical synthetic structures.

Endoskeletal mineralization in chimaera and a comparative guide to tessellated cartilage in chondrichthyan fishes (sharks, rays and chimaera)

An accepted uniting character of modern cartilaginous fishes (sharks, rays, chimaera) is the presence of a mineralized, skeletal crust, tiled by numerous minute plates called tesserae. Tesserae have, however, never been demonstrated in modern chimaera and it is debated whether the skeleton mineralizes at all. We show for the first time that tessellated cartilage was not lost in chimaera, as has been previously postulated, and is in many ways similar to that of sharks and rays. Tesserae in Chimaera monstrosa are less regular in shape and size in comparison to the general scheme of polygonal tesserae in sharks and rays, yet share several features with them. For example, Chimaera tesserae, like those of elasmobranchs, possess both intertesseral joints (unmineralized regions, where fibrous tissue links adjacent tesserae) and recurring patterns of local mineral density variation (e.g. Liesegang lines, hypermineralized ‘spokes’), reflecting periodic accretion of mineral at tesseral edges as tesserae grow. Chimaera monstrosa's tesserae, however, appear to lack the internal cell networks that characterize tesserae in elasmobranchs, indicating fundamental differences among chondrichthyan groups in how calcification is controlled. By compiling and comparing recent ultrastructure data on tesserae, we also provide a synthesized, up-to-date and comparative glossary on tessellated cartilage, as well as a perspective on the current state of research into the topic, offering benchmark context for future research into modern and extinct vertebrate skeletal tissues.

More Bone with Less Minerals? The Effects of Dietary Phosphorus on the Post-Cranial Skeleton in Zebrafish

Dietary phosphorus (P) is essential for bone mineralisation in vertebrates. P deficiency can cause growth retardation, osteomalacia and bone deformities, both in teleosts and in mammals. Conversely, excess P supply can trigger soft tissue calcification and bone hypermineralisation. This study uses a wide range of complementary techniques (X-rays, histology, TEM, synchrotron X-ray tomographic microscopy, nanoindentation) to describe in detail the effects of dietary P on the zebrafish skeleton, after two months of administering three different diets: 0.5% (low P, LP), 1.0% (regular P, RP), and 1.5% (high P, HP) total P content. LP zebrafish display growth retardation and hypomineralised bones, albeit without deformities. LP zebrafish increase production of non-mineralised bone matrix, and osteoblasts have enlarged endoplasmic reticulum cisternae, indicative for increased collagen synthesis. The HP diet promotes growth, high mineralisation, and stiffness but causes vertebral centra fusions. Structure and arrangement of bone matrix collagen fibres are not influenced by dietary P in all three groups. In conclusion, low dietary P content stimulates the formation of non-mineralised bone without inducing malformations. This indicates that bone formation and mineralisation are uncoupled. In contrast, high dietary P content promotes mineralisation and vertebral body fusions. This new zebrafish model is a useful tool to understand the mechanisms underlying osteomalacia and abnormal mineralisation, due to underlying variations in dietary P levels.

Co-aligned chondrocytes: Zonal morphological variation and structured arrangement of cell lacunae in tessellated cartilage

In most vertebrates the embryonic cartilaginous skeleton is replaced by bone during development. During this process, cartilage cells (chondrocytes) mineralize the extracellular matrix and undergo apoptosis, giving way to bone cells (osteocytes). In contrast, sharks and rays (elasmobranchs) have cartilaginous skeletons throughout life, where only the surface mineralizes, forming a layer of tiles (tesserae). Elasmobranch chondrocytes, unlike those of other vertebrates, survive cartilage mineralization and are maintained alive in spaces (lacunae) within tesserae. However, the functions of the chondrocytes in the mineralized tissue remain unknown. Applying a custom analysis workflow to high-resolution synchrotron microCT scans of tesserae, we characterize the morphologies and arrangements of stingray chondrocyte lacunae, using lacunar morphology as a proxy for chondrocyte morphology. We show that the cell density is comparable in unmineralized and mineralized tissue and that cells maintain similar volume even when they have been incorporated into tesserae. Our findings support previous hypotheses that elasmobranch chondrocytes, unlike those of other taxa, do not proliferate, hypertrophy or undergo apoptosis during mineralization. Tessera lacunae show zonal variation in their shapes, being flatter further from and more spherical closer to the unmineralized cartilage matrix, and larger in the center of tesserae. The lacunae show pronounced organization into parallel layers and strong orientation toward neighboring tesserae. Tesserae also exhibit local variation in lacunar density, with the density considerably higher near pores passing through the tesseral layer, suggesting pores and cells interact, and that pores may contain a nutrient source. We propose that the different lacunar types reflect the stages of the tesserae formation process, while also representing local variation in tissue architecture and cell function. Lacunae are linked by small passages (canaliculi) in the matrix to form elongated series at the tesseral periphery and tight clusters in the center of tesserae, creating a rich connectivity among cells. The network arrangement and the shape variation of chondrocytes in tesserae indicate that cells may interact within and between tesserae and manage mineralization differently from chondrocytes in other vertebrates, perhaps performing analogous roles to osteocytes in bone.

Mechanical properties of stingray tesserae: High-resolution correlative analysis of mineral density and indentation moduli in tessellated cartilage

Skeletal tissues are built and shaped through complex, interacting active and passive processes. These spatial and temporal variabilities make interpreting growth mechanisms from morphology difficult, particularly in bone, where the remodeling process erases and rewrites local structural records of growth throughout life. In contrast to the majority of bony vertebrates, the elasmobranch fishes (sharks, rays, and their relatives) have skeletons made of cartilage, reinforced by an outer layer of mineralized tiles (tesserae), which are believed to grow only by deposition, without remodeling. We exploit this structural permanence, performing the first fine-scale correlation of structure and material properties in an elasmobranch skeleton. Our characterization across an age series of stingray tesserae allows unique insight into the growth processes and mechanical influences shaping the skeleton. Correlated quantitative backscattered electron imaging (qBEI) and nanoindentation measurements show a positive relationship between mineral density and tissue stiffness/hardness. Although tessellated cartilage as a whole (tesserae plus unmineralized cartilage) is considerably less dense than bone, we demonstrate that tesserae have exceptional local material properties, exceeding those of (mammal) bone and calcified cartilage. We show that the finescale ultrastructures recently described in tesserae have characteristic material properties suggesting distinct mechanical roles and that regions of high mineral density/stiffness in tesserae are confined predominantly to regions expected to bear high loads. In particular, tesseral spokes (laminated structures flanking joints) exhibit particularly high mineral densities and tissue material properties, more akin to teeth than bone or calcified cartilage. We conclude that these spokes toughen tesserae and reinforce points of contact between them. These toughening and reinforcing functions are supported by finite element simulations incorporating our material data. The high stresses predicted for spokes, and evidence we provide that new spoke laminae are deposited according to their local mechanical environment, suggest tessellated cartilage is both mutable and responsive, despite lacking remodeling capability. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The study of vertebrate skeletal materials is heavily biased toward mammal bone, despite evidence that bone and cartilage are extremely diverse. We broaden the perspective on vertebrate skeleton materials and evolution in an investigation of stingray tessellated cartilage, a curious type of unmineralized cartilage with a shell of mineralized tiles (tesserae). Combining high-resolution imaging and material testing, we demonstrate that tesserae have impressive local material properties for a vertebrate skeletal tissue, arguing for unique tissue organization relative to mammalian calcified cartilage and bone. Incorporating our materials data into mechanical models, we show that finescale material arrangements allow this cartilage to act as a functional and responsive alternative to bone, despite lacking bone's ability to remodel. These results are relevant to a diversity of researchers, from skeletal, developmental, and evolutionary biologists, to materials scientists interested in high-performance, low-density composites.

Growth and mineralogy in dental plates of the holocephalan Harriotta raleighana (Chondrichthyes): novel dentine and conserved patterning combine to create a unique chondrichthyan dentition

ABSTRACT

The dentition in extant holocephalans (Chondrichthyes) comprises three pairs of continuously growing dental plates, rather than the separate teeth characterizing elasmobranchs. We investigated how different types of dentine in these plates, including hypermineralized dentine, are arranged, and how this is renewed aborally, in adult and juvenile dentitions of Harriotta raleighana (Rhinochimeridae). Individual plates were analysed using x-ray computed tomography (μCT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in back scattered mode with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, and optical microscopy on hard tissue sections.

RESULTS

Harriotta dental plates are made entirely of dentine tissue, mostly as trabecular dentine, bone itself being absent. Hypermineralized dentine forms in restricted ovoid and tritor spaces within trabecular dentine, inside a shell of outer and inner dentine layers. Trabecular dentine is ubiquitous but changes to sclerotic osteodentine near the oral surface by increasing density, remaining less mineralized than the hypermineralized dentine. All structures are renewed aborally, within a vascular dental pulp, a tissue suggested to be a source of stem cells for tissue renewal. Ca density profiles and concentrations of Mg, P, and Ca ions reveal extreme differences in the level and type of mineralization. Early mineralization in ovoids and tritors has very high levels of Mg, then a sudden increase in mineralization to a high total mineral content, whereas there is gradual change in trabecular dentine, remaining at a low level.Hypermineralized dentine fills the prepatterned ovoid, rod and tritor spaces, early at the aboral surface within the trabecular dentine. Deposition of the hypermineralized dentine (HD, proposed as new specific name, whitlockin replacing pleromin) is from surfaces that are lined with large specialized odontoblasts, (whitloblasts, instead of pleromoblasts) within cell body spaces connecting with extensive, ramifying tubules. Early mineralization occurs amongst this maze of tubules that penetrate far into the dentine, expanding into a mass of saccules and membranous bodies, dominating in the absence of other organic matrix. This early stage has hydroxyapatite, also significantly rich in Mg, initiated as a poorly crystalline phase. In the hypermineralized dentine, formation occurs as clusters of variably shaped crystals, arising from a sudden phase transition.

CONCLUSIONS

In the hypermineralized dentine, high MgO + CaO + P₂O₅ suggests that almost pure Mg containing tricalciumphosphate (MgTCP: (ß-Ca₃(PO₄)₂) (whitlockite) is present, with little or no hydroxyapatite. Serial replacement of tritors and ovoids is suggested to occur within the dental plate, probably representing a relic of patterning, as classically found in elasmobranch dentitions.

Type II Na+-phosphate Cotransporters and Phosphate Balance in Teleost Fish

Teleost fish are excellent models to study the phylogeny of the slc34 gene family, Slc34-mediated phosphate (P_i) transport and how Slc34 transporters contribute P_i homeostasis. Fish need to accumulate P_i from the diet to sustain growth. Much alike in mammals, intestinal uptake in fish is partly a paracellular and partly a Slc34-mediated transcellular process. Acute regulation of P_i balance is achieved in the kidney via a combination of Slc34-mediated secretion and/or reabsorption. A great plasticity is observed in how various species perform and combine the different processes of secretion and reabsorption. A reason for this diversity is found in one or two whole genome duplication events followed by potential gene loss; consequently, teleosts exhibit distinctly different repertoires of Slc34 transporters. Moreover, due to habitats with vastly different salinity, teleosts face the challenge of either preserving water in a hyperosmotic environment (seawater) or excreting water in hypoosmotic freshwater. An additional challenge in understanding teleost P_i homeostasis are the genome duplication and retention events that diversified peptide hormones such as parathyroid hormone and stanniocalcin. Dietary P_i and non-coding RNAs also regulate the expression of piscine Slc34 transporters. The adaptive responses of teleost Slc34 transporters to e.g. P_i diets and vitamin D are informative in the context of comparative physiology, but also relevant in applied physiology and aquaculture. In fact, P_i is essential for teleost fish growth but it also exerts significant adverse consequences if over-supplied. Thus, investigating Slc34 transporters helps tuning the physiology of commercially valuable teleost fish in a confined environment.

Elements of time and place: manganese and barium in shark vertebrae reflect age and upwelling histories

As upper-level predators, sharks are important for maintaining marine food web structure, but populations are threatened by fishery exploitation. Sustainable management of shark populations requires improved understanding of migration patterns and population demographics, which has traditionally been sought through physical and/or electronic tagging studies. The application of natural tags such as elemental variations in mineralized band pairs of elasmobranch vertebrae cartilage could also reveal endogenous and exogenous processes experienced by sharks throughout their life histories. Here, elemental profiles were characterized in vertebrae encompassing complete life histories (birth-to-death) of shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus), common thresher (Alopias vulpinus) and blue shark (Prionace glauca) of known tag and recapture locations in the eastern North Pacific Ocean. All sharks were injected with oxytetracycline at initial capture, released and subsequently recaptured, with individual liberty times ranging from 215 days to 6 years. Vertebral band pairs forming over the liberty intervals were verified by counting the number of band pairs deposited since the oxytetracycline band. Regular oscillations in vertebrae manganese (Mn) content corresponded well with the number of validated band pairs, suggesting that Mn variation could be used to age sharks. Increases in vertebrae barium concentration were correlated with times when individuals occupied areas with high coastal upwelling indices, the timing and spatial intensity of which varied from year to year. Interspecific relationships were probably influenced by behavioural differences in horizontal and vertical habitat use, feeding habits and thermoregulatory physiology. These results indicate that vertebral sclerochronology has the potential to advance our knowledge of elasmobranch life history including age and growth estimation and environmental reconstruction.

Automated segmentation of complex patterns in biological tissues: Lessons from stingray tessellated cartilage

Introduction

Many biological structures show recurring tiling patterns on one structural level or the other. Current image acquisition techniques are able to resolve those tiling patterns to allow quantitative analyses. The resulting image data, however, may contain an enormous number of elements. This renders manual image analysis infeasible, in particular when statistical analysis is to be conducted, requiring a larger number of image data to be analyzed. As a consequence, the analysis process needs to be automated to a large degree. In this paper, we describe a multi-step image segmentation pipeline for the automated segmentation of the calcified cartilage into individual tesserae from computed tomography images of skeletal elements of stingrays.

Methods

Besides applying state-of-the-art algorithms like anisotropic diffusion smoothing, local thresholding for foreground segmentation, distance map calculation, and hierarchical watershed, we exploit a graph-based representation for fast correction of the segmentation. In addition, we propose a new distance map that is computed only in the plane that locally best approximates the calcified cartilage. This distance map drastically improves the separation of individual tesserae. We apply our segmentation pipeline to hyomandibulae from three individuals of the round stingray (Urobatis halleri), varying both in age and size.

Results

Each of the hyomandibula datasets contains approximately 3000 tesserae. To evaluate the quality of the automated segmentation, four expert users manually generated ground truth segmentations of small parts of one hyomandibula. These ground truth segmentations allowed us to compare the segmentation quality w.r.t. individual tesserae. Additionally, to investigate the segmentation quality of whole skeletal elements, landmarks were manually placed on all tesserae and their positions were then compared to the segmented tesserae. With the proposed segmentation pipeline, we sped up the processing of a single skeletal element from days or weeks to a few hours.

Calcified cartilage or bone? Collagens in the tessellated endoskeletons of cartilaginous fish (sharks and rays)

The primary skeletal tissue in elasmobranchs -sharks, rays and relatives- is cartilage, forming both embryonic and adult endoskeletons. Only the skeletal surface calcifies, exhibiting mineralized tiles (tesserae) sandwiched between a cartilage core and overlying fibrous perichondrium. These two tissues are based on different collagens (Coll II and I, respectively), fueling a long-standing debate as to whether tesserae are more like calcified cartilage or bone (Coll 1-based) in their matrix composition. We demonstrate that stingray (Urobatis halleri) tesserae are bipartite, having an upper Coll I-based 'cap' that merges into a lower Coll II-based 'body' zone, although tesserae are surrounded by cartilage. We identify a 'supratesseral' unmineralized cartilage layer, between tesserae and perichondrium, distinguished from the cartilage core in containing Coll I and X (a common marker for mammalian mineralization), in addition to Coll II. Chondrocytes within tesserae appear intact and sit in lacunae filled with Coll II-based matrix, suggesting tesserae originate in cartilage, despite comprising a diversity of collagens. Intertesseral joints are also complex in their collagenous composition, being similar to supratesseral cartilage closer to the perichondrium, but containing unidentified fibrils nearer the cartilage core. Our results indicate a unique potential for tessellated cartilage in skeletal biology research, since it lacks features believed diagnostic for vertebrate cartilage mineralization (e.g. hypertrophic and apoptotic chondrocytes), while offering morphologies amenable for investigating the regulation of complex mineralized ultrastructure and tissues patterned on multiple collagens.

Large batoid fishes frequently consume stingrays despite skeletal damage

The shapes of vertebrate teeth are often used as hallmarks of diet. Here, however, we demonstrate evidence of frequent piscivory by cartilaginous fishes with pebble-like teeth that are typically associated with durophagy, the eating of hard-shelled prey. High-resolution micro-computed tomography observation of a jaw specimen from one batoid species and visual investigation of those of two additional species reveal large numbers of embedded stingray spines, arguing that stingray predation of a scale rivalling that of the largest carnivorous sharks may not be uncommon for large, predatory batoids with rounded, non-cutting dentition. Our observations demonstrate that tooth morphology is not always a reliable indicator of diet and that stingray spines are not as potent a deterrent to predation as normally believed. In addition, we show that several spines in close contact with the jaw skeleton of a wedgefish (Rhynchobatus) have become encased in a disorganized mineralized tissue with a distinctive ultrastructure, the first natural and unequivocal evidence of a callus-building response in the tessellated cartilage unique to elasmobranch skeletons. Our findings reveal sampling and analysis biases in vertebrate ecology, especially with regard to the role of large, predatory species, while also illustrating that large body size may provide an escape from anatomical constraints on diet (e.g. gape size, specialist dentition). Our observations inform our concepts of skeletal biology and evolution in showing that tessellated cartilage-an ancient alternative to bone-is incapable of foreign tissue resorption or of restoring damaged skeletal tissue to its original state, and attest to the value of museum and skeletal specimens as records of important aspects of animal life history.

Questioning hagfish affinities of the enigmatic Devonian vertebrate Palaeospondylus

Palaeospondylus gunni Traquair, 1890 is an enigmatic Devonian vertebrate whose taxonomic affinities have been debated since it was first described. Most recently, Palaeospondylus has been identified as a stem-group hagfish (Myxinoidea). However, one character questioning this assignment is the presence of three semicircular canals in the otic region of the cartilaginous skull, a feature of jawed vertebrates. Additionally, new tomographic data reveal that the following characters of crown-group gnathostomes (chondrichthyans + osteichthyans) are present in Palaeospondylus: a longer telencephalic region of the braincase, separation of otic and occipital regions by the otico-occipital fissure, and vertebral centra. As well, a precerebral fontanelle and postorbital articulation of the palatoquadrate are characteristic of certain chondrichthyans. Similarities in the structure of the postorbital process to taxa such as Pucapampella, and possible presence of the ventral cranial fissure, both support a resolution of Pa. gunni as a stem chondrichthyan. The internally mineralized cartilaginous skeleton in Palaeospondylus may represent a stage in the loss of bone characteristic of the Chondrichthyes.

Structure and mechanical implications of the pectoral fin skeleton in the Longnose Skate (Chondrichthyes, Batoidea)

Animal propulsion systems are believed to show high energy and mechanical efficiency in assisting movement compared to artificial designs. As an example, batoid fishes have very light cartilaginous skeletons that facilitate their elegant swimming via enlarged wing-like pectoral fins. The aim of this work is to illustrate the hierarchical structure of the pectoral fin of a representative batoid, the Longnose Skate (Raja rhina), and explain the mechanical implications of its structural design. At the macro level, the pectoral fins are comprised of radially oriented fin rays, formed by staggered mineralized skeletal elements stacked end-to-end. At the micro level, the midsection of each radial element is composed of three mineralized components, which consist of discrete segments (tesserae) that are mineralized cartilage and embedded in unmineralized cartilage. The radial elements are wrapped with aligned, unmineralized collagen fibers. This is the first report of the detailed structure of the ray elements, including the observation of a 3-chain mineralized tesserae. Structural analyses demonstrate that this configuration enhances stiffness in multiple directions. A two-dimensional numerical model based on the morphological analysis demonstrated that the tessera structure helps distributing shear, tensile and compressive stress more ideally, which can better support both lift and thrust forces when swimming without losing flexibility.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Batoid fishes have very light cartilaginous skeletons that facilitate their elegant swimming by applying their enlarged wing-like pectoral fins. Previous studies have shown structural features and mechanical properties of the mineralized cartilage skeleton in various batoid fishes. However, the details of the pectoral fin structure at different length scales, as well as the relationship between the mechanical properties and structural design remains unknown. The present work illustrates the hierarchical structure of the pectoral fin of the Longnose Skate (a representative batoid fish) and verifies the materials configuration and structural design increases the stiffness of fin skeleton without a loss in flexibility. These results have implications for the design of strong but flexible materials and bio-inspired autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).

Elements and elasmobranchs: hypotheses, assumptions and limitations of elemental analysis

Quantifying the elemental composition of elasmobranch calcified cartilage (hard parts) has the potential to answer a range of ecological and biological questions, at both the individual and population level. Few studies, however, have employed elemental analyses of elasmobranch hard parts. This paper provides an overview of the range of applications of elemental analysis in elasmobranchs, discussing the assumptions and potential limitations in cartilaginous fishes. It also reviews the available information on biotic and abiotic factors influencing patterns of elemental incorporation into hard parts of elasmobranchs and provides some comparative elemental assays and mapping in an attempt to fill knowledge gaps. Directions for future experimental research are highlighted to better understand fundamental elemental dynamics in elasmobranch hard parts.

Ultrastructural and developmental features of the tessellated endoskeleton of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays)

The endoskeleton of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) is comprised largely of unmineralized cartilage, differing fundamentally from the bony skeletons of other vertebrates. Elasmobranch skeletons are further distinguished by a tessellated surface mineralization, a layer of minute, polygonal, mineralized tiles called tesserae. This 'tessellation' has defined the elasmobranch group for more than 400 million years, yet the limited data on development and ultrastructure of elasmobranch skeletons (e.g. how tesserae change in shape and mineral density with age) have restricted our abilities to develop hypotheses for tessellated cartilage growth. Using high-resolution, two-dimensional and three-dimensional materials and structural characterization techniques, we investigate an ontogenetic series of tessellated cartilage from round stingray Urobatis halleri, allowing us to define a series of distinct phases for skeletal mineralization and previously unrecognized features of tesseral anatomy. We show that the distinct tiled morphology of elasmobranch calcified cartilage is established early in U. halleri development, with tesserae forming first in histotroph embryos as isolated, globular islets of mineralized tissue. By the sub-adult stage, tesserae have increased in size and grown into contact with one another. The intertesseral contact results in the formation of more geometric (straight-edged) tesseral shapes and the development of two important features of tesseral anatomy, which we describe here for the first time. The first, the intertesseral joint, where neighboring tesserae abut without appreciable overlapping or interlocking, is far more complex than previously realized, comprised of a convoluted bearing surface surrounded by areas of fibrous attachment. The second, tesseral spokes, are lamellated, high-mineral density features radiating outward, like spokes on a wheel, from the center of each tessera to its joints with its neighbors, likely acting as structural reinforcements of the articulations between tesserae. As tesserae increase in size during ontogeny, spokes are lengthened via the addition of new lamellae, resulting in a visually striking mineralization pattern in the larger tesserae of older adult skeletons when viewed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in backscatter mode. Backscatter SEM also revealed that the cell lacunae in the center of larger tesserae are often filled with high mineral density material, suggesting that when intratesseral cells die, cell-regulated inhibition of mineralization is interrupted. Many of the defining ultrastructural details we describe relate to local variation in tissue mineral density and support previously proposed accretive growth mechanisms for tesserae. High-resolution micro-computed tomography data indicate that some tesseral anatomical features we describe for U. halleri are common among species of all major elasmobranch groups despite large variation in tesseral shape and size. We discuss hypotheses about how these features develop, and compare them with other vertebrate skeletal tissue types and their growth mechanisms.