The gills are the organs of the respiratory system that different aquatic animals have.
The gills are the organs of the respiratory system that various aquatic animals have. The Greek word bránchia derived from the Latin branchĭa , which came to Spanish with the form of the aforementioned term.
The gills, which can be external or internal, are composed of filaments whose origin is integumentary. These organs allow the animal to obtain the oxygen found in the water and, simultaneously, expel carbon dioxide into the environment.
Once absorbed, the oxygen reaches the animal's fluids and then to the cells , which need it to breathe through the mitochondria. Cellular respiration generates carbon dioxide, which the gills allow to be eliminated from the body.
Types of gills
It can be said, therefore, that the gills (also called gills ) are the structures where a gas exchange called hematosis takes place. Thanks to gills, animals can breathe underwater .
There are two main types of gills. Annelids and mollusks , among others, have branched appendages . Fish , on the other hand, have slits that establish communication between the outside and the digestive tract. In this way, water enters through the fish's mouth and then exits through these holes. In the process, the blood is oxygenated and carbon dioxide is expelled.
Fish have gills.
Different species
It should be noted that there are species whose larvae have gills to breathe underwater, but as adults they develop lungs that allow them to breathe on the earth's surface. That is the case with amphibians like frogs .
On the other hand, species of smaller size and metabolic rate do not have gills, but rather carry out gas exchange through the surface of their body. It is the larger ones or those that require a larger surface area that, through their evolution, have managed to develop this specialized structure .
artificial gills
In 2016, a group of inventors from Stockholm presented a project to manufacture artificial gills in a crowdfunding campaign. Its name is Triton and it is a small, light device that looks similar to the handlebars of a bicycle, which the user holds only with his mouth; In theory, it would avoid almost all the problems and limitations associated with the use of oxygen tubes, especially in terms of dimensions and comfort for moving underwater.
The total extension of the prototype of these artificial gills is 29 centimeters, something that makes it very easy to transport. Regarding its structure, it is made up of a series of microporous fibers and a compressor that serves to supply two oxygen tanks . For its operation, Triton requires the use of a lithium-ion battery. The diameter of the pores is smaller than that of the water molecules, and that is why only oxygen enters the tank.
Despite having offered an attractive presentation video for the project and a fairly detailed list of technical specifications, numerous users accused the creators of being scammers, pointing out various reasons why this device could not offer the features it promises. A fact that could have served to increase the enthusiasm of investors but that has also given rise to ridicule is that its design is inspired by one of James Bond 's accessories.
In any case, sooner or later science will come up with better versions of current underwater breathing equipment. It is that human beings admire the abilities of certain animals to the point of doing everything possible to emulate them: we want to fly like birds, swim like fish and breathe underwater without problem, because we do not like the limits that nature imposed on us. .