Effect of hyper-and hypoosmotic solutions on the structure of the Astacus retina. A transmission electron-microscopic study.

Alterations of the retinula cells in the retina of the light-adapted crayfish in response to hyper- and hypoosmotic van Harreveld solutions was examined by transmission electron microscopy. Increased osmolarity of the bathing medium to twice that of the physiological value leads to shrinkage of the retinula-cell somata. Microvilli, on the other hand, do not undergo shrinkage. Some other characteristic irreversible changes do, however, take place, including detachment of microvilli from the soma, showing a two- or three-fold increase in diameter, and a concomitant decrease in number, probably due to fusion of microvilli. Prolonged incubation or higher osmolarities (5 isosmol) cause alteration of the microvilli membranes to whorls. Structural changes are often restricted to microvilli stacks evaginating from certain individual retinular cells. The number of affected stacks increases depending on the duration of incubation or the osmotic pressure. Hypoosmotic solution (0.5 isosmol) also induces an increase of microvillar diameters and a concomitant reduction in number of microvilli per stack. Exposure to a 20% solution of glycerol causes destruction of the rhabdom structure and the formation of whorls from microvillar membranes. The present findings suggest that the structure of the microvilli is stabilized by an axial cytoskeleton.