Relationship between collagen fibril diameters and body size. Study of fish derma.

Suspensions of collagen fibrils obtained from derma of Elasmobranchia and Actinopterygia of different body sizes and developmental stages were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Fibril diameters were measured and classified into groups comprising a 20 nm diameter interval. Diagrams showing fibril populations of each fish were made. The measurements were averaged and their confidence intervals and standard errors determined. For each species other diagrams were plotted in which the mean diameters were correlated to the body length of each sample. The results show that: 1) a correlation exists between an increase in diameter of collagen fibrils and somatic growth until sexual maturity is reached; 2) fibril populations are subsequently spread over a wider range due to the presence in the derma of classes of newly formed and therefore thinner fibrils. The deposition of new fibrils is possibly influenced by individual factors; 3) no relationship exists between mean fibril diameter and body size; 4) no relationship exists between phylogenetic position and pattern of diameter distribution.