| Abstract: | The changes that take place in the saccus vasculosus epithelium during smoltification of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are described. The major cell type of the epithelium, the coronet cells, have a number (mean = 32) of spherical protrusions connected with a non-motile cilium to the apical part of the cell. The protrusions extend into the saccus lumen. In parr the protrusions become more spherical during the spring season, while in smolt the opposite process takes place. Parr coronet cells have most of the mitochondria in the apical part of the cell, while in smolt they are concentrated basally. The relative areal fraction of heterochromatin in the nuclei increase from 23 to 29 during the smoltification process. The results are consistent with the view that the coronet cells take an active part in the smoltification process. |
