Histopathology of respiratory organs of certain air-breathing fishes of India

Air-breathing fishes have evolved bimodal respiratory mechanisms for exploitation of water (through gills and highly vascularized skin) as well as atmospheric air (through aerial respiratory organs, ABO). Mucous cells in these respiratory organs of variously stressed fishes exhibit periodic fluctuations in their density and staining properties. The main types of damage in the gills include congestion of blood capillaries (BLCs), periodic lifting and sloughing of respiratory epithelia of the secondary lamellae causing haemorrhage, extensive fusion of secondary lamellae and hyperplasia of the respiratory epithelia due to uncontrolled regeneration leading to asphyxiation, altered excretion, and death of the fish. Haemolysis has also been observed following lead exposure. The damage in the ABO of Heteropneustes fossilis includes sloughing of the epithelial cells, leading to haemorrhage causing decreased red blood corpuscles density and degeneration of the secondary gill lamellae with reduced respiratory area. Subsequent hyperplasia of the respiratory epithelia and fusion of gill lamellae increase the respiratory barrier distance. The BLCs often bulge out and protrude into the lumen, bringing blood nearer to air. The ladder-like pillar cell (PLC)-BLC components of the gill lamellae frequently collapse. Damage to the ABO of Channa striata is less severe. Often haemorrhaging due to bursting of extensively stretched BLCs causes aerial respiratory failure. Chloride cells of the ABOs also show hyperplasia. While the highly mucogenic epidermis of C. striata shows less damage, the epidermis of Clarias batrachus and H. fossilis shows severe wear and tear, sloughing, and haemorrhage. Side-by-side regeneration continues, causing altered histomorphology of the epidermis. The different gland cells also show periodic fluctuations in their density and staining. The dermis also shows severe damage with loosening of their connective tissue fibres. These fibres give stronger reactions for sulfated mucin that not only retain additional water molecules for continuance of skin breathing, but also bind the toxic ambient pollutants.