6533b7d6fe1ef96bd1266523

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Effects of cadmium exposure on the ultrastructure of hepatopancreatic cells of Thais haemastoma (gastropoda, prosobranchia)

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Abstract Specific histopathological parameters have been proposed as good indicators of heavy-metal pollution. Hence the study of ultrastructural alterations in target organs from sentinel animals after heavy-metal exposure may provide a useful tool in understanding the cellular role in heavy-metal metabolism. The main purpose of this study was the determination of the ultrastructural changes in the different hepatopancreatic-cell types of Thais haemastoma after experimental exposure to cadmium. Specimens of this species from the Gulf of Valencia were exposed to sublethal doses of cadmium during a period of 96 h. The hepatopancreas was excised and prepared in a routine manner for electron microscopy. The digestive cells showed accumulation of membrane-bounded vesicles containing electrondense granular material and membrane debris. Basophilic cells showed swelling of the rough endoplasmic reticulum vesicles. The calcium-containing cells seemed to be unaffected by cadmium. These results suggest that the digestive cells incorporate cadmium from water and that the basophilic cells increase their protein synthesis in order to provide digestive enzymes for extracellular digestion and metallothionein-like proteins for cadmium binding and excretion.