Ultrastructure of the heart of the marine mussel,Geukensia demissa

The structure of the heart of Geukensia demissa, a common object of physiological and biochemical investigation, is described by scanning, transmission and freeze-fracture electron microscopy. A single-cell epithelial layer covers the ventricle, but an endothelium is lacking. Myofibers are small (6–7 μm diam.), mononucleate, and tapered. Glycogen is concentrated peripherally. Mitochondria are particularly concentrated under the sarcolemma, near the ends of the nucleus, and in rows between bundles of myofilaments. The myofilaments (6–8nm thin, 30–35 nm thick filament diam.) are loosely arranged into sarcomeres (2–4 μm) by Z bodies. Many of these Z bodies interconnect, and some anchor to the sarcolemma forming attachment plaques. Cells are joined by intercalated discs consisting of fascia adherentes, spot desmosomes, and gap junctions. The gap junctions include intramembrane particles. T tubules are absent. The sarcolemma is coupled to the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum (JSR) over 357ndash;40% of the cell surface. Tubules extend from the JSR deep into and throughout the cell as an irregularly dispersed network. The SR occupies 1% of the cell volume. A few, small (0.1–1.0 μm) unmyelinated nerves are present, but no neuromuscular junctions were seen. The auricles have fewer and smaller myocytes than the ventricle. The auricles also contain podocytes with pedicels having 20–35 nm slits and containing sieve-like projections. The morphology of the Geukensia heart is similar to that of other bivalves.