Physiology and Form of Fish Circulation

This book provides a clear and concise account of the physiology and form of the fish circulatory system. Emphasis is primarily placed on the function of the system although details of structure have been included. Following some revisionary ideas on haemodynamics, attention is focused on the heart as the primary pump in the fish circulatory system. The fine structure and the electrical and ionic myocytes are described and the major events of the cardiac system are outlined. This is followed by a description of the structure of the peripheral vessels and of circulation in certain special areas such as the gills, the renal portal system and the secondary blood system. Further chapters are devoted to the blood and the haemopoetic tissues and include an account of the different types of retial system that concentrate oxygen or heat in various parts of the body. This book is well illustrated and written in a style comprehensible to anyone with a basic knowledge of the biological and physical sciences. Both undergraduate and graduate students of physiology, zoology and marine science will find this an invaluable reference text.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction; 2. The heart introduction; the structure of cardiac muscle; electrical properties of fish cardiac muscle; the events of the cardiac cycle; the myocardium and its blood supply; the output of the heart; 3. The peripheral circulation introduction; blood pressure in fish; reactive hyperaemia; the principal blood vessels of the fish circulatory system; 4. The blood Haemoglobin; acclimation and adaptation in haemoglobins; the carriage of CO2 in the blood; The plasma proteins; blood viscosity; the leucocytes; 5. Haemopoesis and phagocytosis - the mononuclear phagocytic system The phagocytic cells of the MPS system; Haemopoetic and phagocytic organs and tissues; 6. Circulation through special regions i The microcirculation of the gill ii The secondary blood system iii The renal portal circulation iv Red and white muscle; 7. Retial counter current systems: flow-diffusion- concentration Introduction; retia that concentrate oxygen and nitrogen; retia that concentrate heat; 8. Venous return and venous pumps; 9. The autonomic nervous system introduction; the parasympathetic and sympatho-adrenal systems; atrial natriuretic peptide ANP; vascular receptors; 10. The response to exercise introduction; The response of the heart; the response of the gill vasculature; the response of the peripheral vessels; 11. The response to hypoxia introduction; reflex responses (A), the heart; reflex responses (B), the peripheral circulation; the intrinsic response of the gill vessels; the central liberation of catecholamines; 12. Myxine, a speculative conclusion Introduction; the heart; the blood; the peripheral circulation; some final speculations; References; Appendix of popular and scientific names.

Review :
"Undergraduate and graduate students of physiology, zoology, and marine science will find this text to be a valuable reference source." Biological Abstracts "...a reasonably brief account of the components of the circulatory system and their functions, with chapters on the heart, blood, complex circulatory patterns, and effects of exercise, among others." Choice "...Geoffrey Satchell is to be commended for having prepared an excellent physiological and anatomical perspective on the fish circulatory system." Alan G. Heath, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society "...a complete and up-to-date review of blood and circulation in fishes...The complete treatment of the material and the readable style should make this book a standard reference during the current decade." Copeia "...The aim of this book is to provide a comprehensive review of the physiology of the fish circulatory system. In my opinion, it has succeeded...very useful as a reference textbook...will serve as a valuable source of reference for established researchers in comparative physiology." The Quarterly Review of Biology