[Effect of hypoxia on the content and stoichiometry of cytochromes in muscle of the gray mullet Liza aurata].

The maintenance of the gray mullet Liza aurata under conditions of hypoxia (P(O2) 55-82 GPa) for 1-2 days led to a decrease of oxygen pressure in arterial blood by 47%, while in venous blood--by 28%. The mean muscle oxygen pressure decreased by 19.2%. The number of hypoxic and anoxic zones in muscle tissue decreased significantly, in particular in red muscle. The maintenance of the fish in hypoxic waters for 15 days led to a rise of the content of cytochromes in muscle and a qualitative readjustment of the mitochondrial respiratory chain manifested in an increase of the content of cytochromes a and a3 and a decrease of cytochrome b. In discussion, literature data are presented which support the described regularity.