Fish alarm substance cells

Pfeiffer, W., The distribution of fright reaction and alarm substance cells in fishes, Copeia, 1977, 653. 

Chivers DP, Wisenden BD, Hindman CJ, Michalak TA, Kusch RC, Kaminskyj SGW, Jack KL, Ferrari MCO, Pollock RJ, Halbgewachs CF, Pollock MS, Alemadi S, James CT, Savaloja RK, Goater CP, Corwin A, Mirza RS, Kiesecker JM, Brown GE, Adrian JC Jr, Krone PH, Blaustein AR, Mathis A (2007) Epidermal alarm substance cells of fishes are maintained by non-alarm functions possible defence against pathogens, parasites and UVB radiation. Proc Biol Sci 274 2611-2620... 

Wisenden, B. D., and Smith, R. J. F., 1997, The effect of physical condition and shoalmate familiarity on proliferation of alarm substance cells in the epidermis of fathead minnows, J. Fish. Biol. 50 799-808. 

Pfeiffer, W., 1977, The distribution of flight reaction and alarm substance cells in fishes, Copeia 1977(4) 653. Schutz, F., 1956, Vergleichende Untersuchungen ilber die Schreckreaction bei Fischen und deren Verbreitung,... 

In most families of the Superorder Ostariophysi (e.g., minnows, suckers, catfish, characins and loaches), individuals show antipredator responses when they detect chemicals released from injured conspecifics. This response is absent in some armoured catfish, pencilfishes and ostariophysans with electric organs (Pfeiffer 1977). In ostariophysan fishes the alarm pheromone is contained in epidermal club cells, or alarm substance cells, that have no pores to the exterior, and have no proven function except the production and storage of the alarm substance that triggers antipredator behavior in conspecific receivers. 

Bernstein, J.W. Smith, R.J.F. 1983. Alarm substance cells in fathead minnows do not affect the feeding preference of rainbow trout. Env. Biol. Fish., 9, 307—311. 

Smith, R.J.F. 1976a. Seasonal loss of alarm substance cells in North American Cyprinoid Fishes and its relation to abrasive spawning behaviour. Can. J. Zool., 54, 1172—1182. 

Two analogous chemical alarm systems have been described in fishes and there is evidence that other comparable systems exist. I will deal primarily with the best known of these systems, the alarm substance or Schreckstoff system found in the ostariophysan fishes (e.g. minnows, suckers, catfish), first described by von Frisch (1938) and recently reviewed by Pfeiffer (1977, 1982) and Smith (1977, 1982a). The terms "alarm substance" and "alarm substance cells" (ASCs) will be used only for the ostariophysan system. The second established alarm system is found in darters of the Family Percidae (Smith, 1979, 1982b). The darter system will be specifically designated when it is described. 

The skin of two groups of fish that show alarm responses to skin extract. (A) The skin of an ostariophysan fish, the bluehead chub (Nocomis leptocephalus), illustrating the alarm substance cells (ASCs) in the epidermis (b)... 

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