Ultrastructural study on the lining epithelium of the oral roof of the cat fish (clarias gariepinus)‎

Abstract EN

An ultra structural study was performed on the epithelium of the oral roof of the cat fish (Clarias gariepinus).The epithelium of the oral roof of cat fish was formed from multilayered epithelium of different types of cells ; ordinary epithelial cells, mitochondria rich cells, alarm cells and mucous secreting cells.

Granular leuckocyte, lymphocytes and phagocytes- like cells were also observed.

Wide intercellular irregular spaces were found demarcated by cell boundaries and reveal the epithelial cells to possessed long processes.

The apical surface of superficial epithelial cells exhibits small projections.

The epithelial cells joined with the adjacent cells with desmosomes.

The mitochondria rich cells contained large number of glycogen granules ; few rough endoplasmic reticulum and many lysosomes of different sizes.

Few tubular invaginations were also present in these cells.

According to the electron density of the secretory granules, two different types of mucous cells were observed, cells contained several round secretory vesicles of different electron density and cells contained vesicles of uniform electron density.

The alarm cells were large electron lucent binucleated cells.

Their cytoplasm contained large elongated mitochondria arranged mainly around the nucleus.

The rER and free ribosomes were also scattered allover the cytoplasm.