ABSTRACT: Foreign chemicals in teleost fish are primarily excreted via urine and bile. Xenobiotics and their metabolites excreted via urine are filtered in the glomerulus and/or secreted by tubular transport within the kidney. Contrary to most fish species, such as the Atlantic cod Gadus morhua, the polar cod Boreogadus saida displays a complete absence of the glomerular apparatus. We examined the excretory routes in an aglomerular (B. saida) vs a glomerular (G. morhua) gadoid fish. Using an inert polysacharride as a model compound, it is demonstrated that this xenobiotic is excreted solely via the urine in G. morhua and via the bile in B. saida.

KEY WORDS: Polar fish . Aglomerular kidney . Xenobiotic excretion . Environmental pollutants

Published in MEPS Vol. 136 (1996) on June 6
ISSN: 0171-8630. Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 1996