Spatial, cellular, and intracellular localization of Na+/K+-ATPase in the sterically disposed renal tubules of Japanese eel.

The kidney plays a crucial role in the regulation of water and ion balances in both freshwater and seawater fishes. However, the complicated structures of the kidney hamper comprehensive understanding of renal functions. In this study, to investigate the structure of sterically disposed renal tubules, we examined spatial, cellular, and intracellular localization of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase in the kidney of the Japanese eel. The renal tubule was composed of the first (PT-I) and second (PT-II) segments of the proximal tubule and the distal tubule (DT), followed by the collecting ducts (CDs). Light microscopic immunocytochemistry detected Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase along the renal tubules and CD; however, the subcellular distribution of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase immunoreaction varied among different segments. Electron microscopic immunocytochemistry further revealed that Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase was distributed on the basal infoldings of PT-I, PT-II, and DT cells. Three-dimensional analyses showed that the renal tubules meandered in a random pattern through lymphoid tissues, and then merged into the CD, which was aligned linearly. Among the different segments, the DT and CD cells showed more-intense Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase immunoreaction in freshwater eel than in seawater-acclimated eel, confirming that the DT and CD segments are important in freshwater adaptation, or hyperosmoregulation.