Oyster Gill Cross Section Under the Microscope
Oyster Gill (Cross Section), Crassostrea virginica
This is a cross section of an oyster gill stained with H&E. Oyster gills are used for both breathing and filter feeding, trapping tiny food particles from the water.
This is a cross section of an oyster gill (Crassostrea virginica), stained with H&E. Rows of thin gill filaments line the edges of the section like the teeth of a comb. Inside are large open spaces called water tubes, where water flows after passing between the filaments. Loose tissue between the tubes holds many round blood cells. In a living oyster, tiny hairs called cilia on the filaments pull water through, so the gill both takes in oxygen and traps food from the water.
What to look for
- Gill filaments: Many thin, closely spaced filaments arranged in rows, forming a folded pattern.
- Cilia: Tiny hair-like structures along the surface of the filaments that move water and food.
- Water tubes: Spaces inside the gill where water flows after passing between the filaments.
- Connecting tissue: Pink bridges of tissue that join neighboring filaments.
Questions and answers
How do oysters use their gills to eat?
Oysters are filter feeders. Cilia on their gills pull water through, trap tiny food particles in mucus, and move the food toward the mouth.
What does an oyster gill look like under a microscope?
An oyster gill looks like rows of thin filaments folded into a W shape, with water tubes inside. The filaments are lined with cilia that keep water moving.
- Category
- Invertebrates
- Scan magnification
- 20x
- Stain
- H&E
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