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Phenotypic Plasticity Of Japanese Medaka Gill In Response To Changing Salinities, Laura V. Ellis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Japanese medaka (Oryzais latipes) are euryhaline fish, meaning they are capable of surviving in a variety of salinities from fresh water to seawater. The ability to maintain an internal osmotic concentration stems from the phenotypic plasticity of the osmoregulatory organs, the gill, kidney, intestine, and integument. The gill is the main site of osmotic and ionic regulation in fish due to the three-dimensional structure, the direct contact with the outside environment, and the composition of the gill cells. Fish gills are multifunctional as they regulate water movement, acid/base exchange, nitrogenous waste excretion, and ion fluctuations. In freshwater environments, fish are …