Fig. 1 in Histochemistry and functional organization of the dorsal skin of Ancistrus dolichopterus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)

Fig. 1. Skin of Ancistrus dolichopterus. A) Epidermis (Ep) and thick dermis (De) of A. dolichopterus showing stratum laxum (SL) and stratum compactum (SC), note also the hollow osteoderm and the denticle (HE). Scale bar = 100 mm. B) Denticle at higher magnification. (PAS) Scale bar = 10 mm. C) Denticles with pointed crown and broad basal parts. The narrow pedestal basal part fit in the cup shaped structure of dermal osteoderm (arrows). The dentine surrounds the pulp cavity, filled with cells and connective tissue, and covered by a thin enamel layer. The osteoderm is connected with the denticles with attachment fibers (small arrows). (HE) Scale bar = 20 mm. D) Epidermis showing epithelial cells distributed in different layers, low columnar cells in basal, polygonal in the middle and flat cells in the superficial layer. Spherical eosinophilic granular cells (arrows) with granular cytoplasmic contents and eccentric nucleus. Note the pigment cells with dark brown coarse granules (*) in a continuous layer below the basement membrane (HE). Scale bar = 10 mm. E) General glycoproteins in the epidermis. The mucous cell (*) and EGCs (arrows) stain very strong while epithelial cells located in superficial and outer middle layers stain moderately (AB/PAS). Scale bar = 10 mm. F) A pear shaped taste bud (arrow) (AB/PAS) Scale bar = 10 mm.