The presence of megamitochondria in the ellipsoid of photoreceptor inner segment of the zebrafish retina

J. Kim, E. Lee, B. S. Chang, C. S. Oh, G. H. Mun, Y. H. Chung, D. H. Shin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although the megamitochondria (MM) were localized in various pathological conditions, normal retina of some mammalian species was reported to include MM for various physiological roles. However, it was not clearly confirmed whether the MM is present in the retina of lower vertebrate as well. In this study, we tried to show the presence of the MM in the zebrafish retina using electron microscopic technique. In all the photoreceptors including rods, cones and double cones of the zebrafish retina, MM were observed in the ellipsoid of inner segment. In the photoreceptor epllipsoid of the zebrafish retina, the mitochondria located in the central portion of the ellipsoid had a highly electron-dense matrix, which were accompanied by the mitochondria with electron-lucent matrix in the apical portion of the ellipsoid. The presence of MM was more clearly discernable in the rods, which were localized under the double cones. This finding is somewhat different from those observed in the previous studies because MM were localized in the inner segment of cones, but were not in those of rods in the case of mammalian retina. Although the exact physiological meaning for the presence of MM in some vertebrate species should be further studied, the present study could show that the MM in the ellipsoid of the retinal photoreceptors was not only restricted in some mammalian species.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)339-342
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Veterinary Medicine Series C: Anatomia Histologia Embryologia
Volume34
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2005
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Veterinary

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