gill lamella
Quick Summary
The gill lamella is a key component of the gill structure in many aquatic animals, primarily responsible for gas exchange. These lamellae are secondary folds found on gill filaments, which are themselves supported by gill arches in fish.1
The primary function of gill lamellae is to facilitate the diffusion of oxygen from the surrounding water into the animal's bloodstream and the removal of carbon dioxide from the blood into the water. This process is highly efficient due to the lamellae's structure, which provides a large surface area and contains a rich network of blood vessels (capillaries). In fish, a countercurrent exchange system operates within the lamellae, where blood flows in the opposite direction to the water, maximizing oxygen absorption. This intricate design allows aquatic animals to breathe effectively in their environment.231
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- bivalveFood and feeding
…achieved by folding the platelike gill lamellae into plicae. Each lamella comprises vertical rows of filaments upon the outer head of which are complex arrays of cilia that create a flow of water through the gill, form a filtration barrier, and transport retained particles to food grooves in the dorsal…
Read More…achieved by folding the platelike gill lamellae into plicae. Each lamella comprises vertical rows of filaments upon the outer head of which are complex arrays of cilia that create a flow of water through the gill, form a filtration barrier, and transport retained particles to food grooves in the dorsal…
Read More - bivalveInternal features
…of each filament constituting the gill lamellae draws a water current through the gill, which provides oxygen, but more importantly now sieves food from this current and transfers such material along tracts in the gill axes or their ventral margins (bound in mucus) toward the labial palps. The palps process…
Read More…of each filament constituting the gill lamellae draws a water current through the gill, which provides oxygen, but more importantly now sieves food from this current and transfers such material along tracts in the gill axes or their ventral margins (bound in mucus) toward the labial palps. The palps process…
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