Water Exchange Across Fish Gills: The Significance of Tritiated-Water Flux Measurements

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Abstract
1. Branchial turnover rates of tritiated water in the cyprinid teleost Carassius auratus are temperature dependent and show temperature acclimation with time. 2. Hypoxia produced abrupt increases in the rates of branchial water turnover. 3. The evidence suggests the importance of branchial blood flow parameters and ventilation on turnover rate. Membrane resistance is not a major barrier to water diffusion in these small fish. 4. Calculated apparent diffusional water permeabilities do not represent true branchial membrane permeabilities. Note: Address for correspondence after 1 September 1978: Department of Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, U.S.A.