6533b871fe1ef96bd12d2678
RESEARCH PRODUCT
The ascidian Styela plicata hemocytes as a potential biomarker of marine pollution: In vitro effects of seawater and organic mercury.
Antonio BellanteMaria Antonietta SanfratelloSerena IndelicatoDaniela ParrinelloMatteo CammarataMaria Giovanna ParisiDaniela Piazzesesubject
0301 basic medicinePollutionHemocytesAscidianHealth Toxicology and Mutagenesismedia_common.quotation_subjectAscidian; Hemocytes; Mercury; Pollution; SEM; Seawater; Toxic metals; TunicateZoologychemistry.chemical_elementHemocyteToxic metal010501 environmental sciencesTunicate01 natural sciencesMarine pollution03 medical and health scienceschemistry.chemical_compoundAnimalsSeawaterUrochordataMethylmercury0105 earth and related environmental sciencesmedia_commonInvertebratebiologyEcologyImmunotoxinsPublic Health Environmental and Occupational HealthGeneral MedicineMercuryMethylmercury Compoundsbiology.organism_classificationPollutionTunicateMercury (element)030104 developmental biologyStyela plicatachemistrySEMMicroscopy Electron ScanningBioindicatorBiomarkersdescription
Toxic metals, such as mercury, contribute substantially to anthropogenic pollution in many estuarine environments. Animals living in those environments, particularly invertebrate filter feeders like tunicates, can be used as bioindicators. In an attempt to identify cellular markers for revealing pollution, this study examined in vitro the effects of different concentrations of methyl mercury on Styela plicata hemocytes. The harvested hemocytes from S. plicata that were exposed to the metal had a significant mortality, cellular count and morphometric alterations. These findings provided evidence of MeHg immunotoxic effects on S. plicata, resulting in hemocyte death and morphological changes induced by cytoskeleton alterations. Thus, a morphometric cellular parameter, such as spreading ability, was used as a complementary method for differentiation between hemocytes treated with a marine solution (as a negative control) and hemocytes incubated with methylmercury and/or Sicilian seawater samples.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-01-01 | Ecotoxicology and environmental safety |