Corpuscles of Stannius and Renal Physiology in the Eel (Anguilla rostrata)

Abstract

In freshwater eels there is a significant correlation between glomerular filtration rates (GFR) and urine flow rates suggesting that changes in GFR rather than tubular water reabsorption lead to the major adjustments in urine flow rates accompanying changes in environmental salinity.Removal of the corpuscles of Stannius was not followed by a significant change in GFR indicating that an adequate (normal) effective filtration pressure is independent of a corpuscular pressor substance.In 8 of 17 Stanniectomised eels urine flow rates exceeded GFR demonstrating that, under these experimental conditions, eel renal tubules secrete water.Multiple tissue electrolyte changes followed Stanniectomy; the 75% increase in the plasma calcium concentration is of particular interest. This increase was probably due to a reduction in the net rate of calcium deposition in bone and not to a change in the renal handling of calcium.