AUTOFLUORESCENT VARIETY OF α-quartz (SiO2) in electric TISSUE

BARRERA, F. ; PRADO FIGUEROA, M.

Búzios

Congreso; I CONGRESS IBRO/LARC OF NEUROSCIENCES FOR LATIN AMERICA, CARIBBEAN AND IBERIAN PENINSULA; 2008

Sociedade Brasileira de Neurociências e Comportamento (SBNeC)

The electric organs (EO) of Psammobatis extenta produce weak electrical discharges to the surrounding environment. Its majority cells -electrocytes- derived from myoblasts have evolved and differential independently, losing the contractile ability. In previous works we employed EDS-SEM and documented the presence of aluminium and silicon in significant concentrations. Zinc, oxigen and cupper were also localized. For Polarized Light Microscopy we could also identify specifically a microcrystalline variety of SiO2: chalcedony. Now, using Epifluorescence Microscopy (Epi-fl) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (LCSM) on EO subcellular extracts of P. extenta obtained for differential centrifugation we identify that the chalcedony autofluorescent is distributed in all the subcellular fractions. Neuronal cell death and synaptic terminal degeneration have been noted in the EO of this fishes (Fox et al., 1990 and our observations). The crystalline form of this mineral of quartz could interact with the DNA of the nucleus of the electrocyte and to intervene in processes of neuromuscular disorders. There is this the first time that is demonstrated the presence of the autofluorescent chalcedony in EO using Epi-fl and LCSM.