FINE-STRUCTURE OF HEPATOCYTES IN JUVENILE GRAY MULLETS - LIZA-SALIENS RISSO, L-RAMADA RISSO AND L-AURATA RISSO (TELEOSTEI, MUGILIDAE)

Livers of 45 fingerling grey mullets (Liza sp. 5‐15 cm long) were subjected to light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and enzyme cytochemical examination. The hepatic structure was found to be comparable in all three Liza species. As in other fish species, Liza liver parenchyma is arranged in cords (or dual‐plated laminae, in sections parallel to the sinusoidal axis). Hepatocytes showed numerous microvilli in their perisinusoidal and canalicular areas. They contained a centrally located nucleus, fairly large areas of rough endoplasmic reticulum, consisting mainly of parallel cisternae, and pools of glycogen. A few small lipid droplets were evenly distributed in the cytoplasm. The Golgi fields, between the canaliculus and the nucleus, consist mainly of dictyosomes, lysosomes and autophagic vacuoles. Acid phosphatase activity was cytochemically localized to reaction products in secondary lysosomes and lipofuscin granules. A comparison between grey mullet liver and that of other teleosts was made. Copyright © 1991, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved