The histophysioIogy of interrenal tissue and chromaffin cells of curimbata, Prochilodus scrofa, during its reproductive cycle

Abstract

The purpose of the present investigation was the detection and the description of the histological modifications of the interrenal tissue and chromaffin cells of "curimbata" (Prochilodus scrofa), during there productive cycle. Twenty males and twenty females adult fishes of each sex, during each of the four stages of gonadal cycle (namely resting, maturing, ripening and spent) were used, totalizing one hundred and sixty specimens. The fishes were collected at Mogi Guassu River, São Paulo State, Brazil. The cephalic kidneys were fixed in Bouin’s fluid and embedded in paraffin. Sections of 7,0 µm were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichromic method. The Histological analysis showed hypertrophy of interrenal cells during maturing and ripening stages. The strongest acidophilic affinity of these cells was observed during the maturing stage. On the other hand, at these two stages, the chromaffin cells underwent reduction of the cytoplasmic staining affinity. All these morphological and chromaphilic changes of the interrenal and chromaffin tissues were similar in both sexes.