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Funktion und Ultrastruktur des Nephridiums von Hirudo medicinalis

I. Ort und Mechanismus der Primärharnbildung

Function and fine structure of the nephridium of Hirudo medicinalis

I. Localization and mechanism of the formation of primary urine

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Summary

Localization and mechanism of the formation of primary urine in Hirudo medicinalis were investigated with electronmicroscopic and physiological methods.

  1. 1.

    The flow of urine from the place of origin to the bladder was demonstrated by injecting coloured fluid into the canaliculi of the nephridium. The urine, coming from the canaliculi of the initial lobe and main lobe, enters the canaliculi of the inner lobe. From there it runs through the canaliculi of the apical lobe into the central canal and then into the bladder (Fig. 2). Primary urine is probably formed in the canaliculi of all lobes.

  2. 2.

    The cells of the different nephridial lobes have essentially the same fine structure (Figs. 3–6): they show basal infoldings, mitochondria, a high content of glycogen, and microvilli at the luminal surface. They differ in the depth of the infoldings, the closeness of microvilli and content of vesicles.

  3. 3.

    The capillaries of the nephridium are fenestrated. The fenestrations are closed by a diaphragm with a central knob (Fig. 4).

  4. 4.

    Inulin is not excreted by the nephridia.

  5. 5.

    Micropuncture and chemical microanalysis of the samples have been used to determine the osmolarity and chloride concentration of canaliculi urine (Fig. 7). The osmolarity is only slightly elevated in primary urine, chloride, however, is much more concentrated than in blood.

  6. 6.

    It is suggested that primary urine is formed in two steps (Fig. 8): I. Filtration through endothelial pores into the connective tissue; II. Secretion by nephridial cells into the canaliculi.

Zusammenfassung

Ort und Mechanismus der Primärharnbildung bei Hirudo medicinalis wurde mit elektronenmikroskopischen und physiologischen Methoden untersucht.

  1. 1.

    Injektionen von Farblösung in das Canaliculisystem der Nephridien demonstrierten den Verlauf des Harnflusses im Nephridium: der Harn fließt aus den Canaliculi des Anfangs- und des Hauptlappens in die Canaliculi des inneren Lappens und von hier nacheinander in die Canaliculi des apikalen Lappens, durch den Zentralkanal und in die Blase. Der Primärharn wird wahrscheinlich in die Canaliculi aller Lappen gebildet.

  2. 2.

    Die Zellen der Nephridiallappen haben prinzipiell die gleiche Feinstruktur: basale Einfaltungen, dazwischen und im intermediären Plasma Mitochondrien, einen hohen Glykogengehalt und apikale Mikrovilli.

  3. 3.

    Im Endothel der Blutkapillaren wurden Fenster gefunden, die von einem geknöpften Diaphragma überspannt werden.

  4. 4.

    Ins Blut injiziertes Inulin wird nicht durch die Nephridien ausgeschieden.

  5. 5.

    Durch Mikropunktion und chemische Analyse der Punktionsproben konnten die osmotische Konzentration und die Chloridkonzentration im Primärharn bestimmt werden. Während die Chloridkonzentration im Primärharn gegenüber Blut stark erhöht ist, liegt die Osmolarität des Primärharns nur wenig über der des Blutes.

  6. 6.

    Es wird die Arbeitshypothese entwickelt, daß sich die Primärharnbildung in zwei Stufen vollzieht: I. Filtration aus dem Blut in das Bindegewebe; II. Sekretion durch die Nephridialzellen in die Canaliculi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoologisches Institut der Universität München, Bundesrepublik Deutschland

    Irene Boroffka, Helmut Altner & Joachim Haupt

  2. Max-Planck-Institut für Verhaltensphysiologie Seewiesen, Bundesrepublik Deutschland

    Irene Boroffka, Helmut Altner & Joachim Haupt

  3. I. und II. Zoologisches Institut der Freien Universität Berlin, Bundesrepublik Deutschland

    Irene Boroffka, Helmut Altner & Joachim Haupt

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  1. Irene Boroffka
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  2. Helmut Altner
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  3. Joachim Haupt
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Boroffka, I., Altner, H. & Haupt, J. Funktion und Ultrastruktur des Nephridiums von Hirudo medicinalis . Z. Vergl. Physiol. 66, 421–438 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00299940

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