The structure of the pronephros and development of mesonephric kidney in Russian sturgeon larvae, Acipenser gueldenstaedtii Brandt at different stages of early postembryonic development (from hatching to 14 days), were studied with histological and electronic microscopy methods. The larval pronephros is represented by the system of bilaterally located pronephric tubules with ciliated nephrostomes and funnels and exogenous single glomus, which is not integrated directly into pronephric tubules and located in the pronephric chamber. The glomus is positioned below the dorsal aorta and vascularized by its capillaries. The glomus has the same features of the thin structure that are typical of and necessary for the function of a filtering organ. The structure of the pronephros in acipenserids is discussed and compared with teleosts and amphibians. Histogenesis of the mesonephric kidney is observed during the period of pronephros functioning; it is complete by the time the larvae transfer to exogenous feeding. At this moment, the pronephros undergoes significant structural degradation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.