Ultrastructure of the retinal pigmented epithelium of light- and dark-adapted young,pigmented, and mature silver eels,Anguilla anguilla (Pisces,Teleostei)

Summary Our ultrastructural study of the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) of young, pigmented, and mature silver eels, (Anguilla anguilla), revealed the presence of retinomotor responses in the RPE of both growth stages. Furthermore, while the overall fine structure of the RPE is similar to that of other vertebrates, specific structures were also found. These include various forms of lipid droplets, intercellular membranous whorls, multitubular bodies, macrophages, melanolysosomes, and myeloid bodies (large and numerous in young eels). Structural variations in cellular organelles of the RPE according to different adaptive states (light, dark) and growth stages (young, mature) of the animal are discussed with respect to their significance in its complex life cycle.