Lamella (surface anatomy)

Aside from respiratory organs, they appear in other biological roles including filter feeding and the traction surfaces of geckos.

[1] In fish, gill lamellae are used to increase the surface area in contact with the environment to maximize gas exchange (both to attain oxygen and to expel carbon dioxide) between the water and the blood.

[3] In fish gills, there are two types of lamellae, primary and secondary.

Gas exchange primarily occurs at the secondary gill lamellae, where the tissue is notably only one cell layer thick.

Furthermore, countercurrent gas exchange at the secondary gill lamellae further maximizes oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide release.

Lamellae on a gecko's foot.
Scanning electron microscopy image of the gill filament and lamellae from an 18-day-old larval Yellowfin Tuna ( Thunnus albacores ). [ 2 ]