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Fish histopathology as a tool for use in marine environment monitoring: a review

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Abstract

Pathological changes can be readily used as potent “biomarkers” to detect and explain the effects of contaminant chemicals in programs monitoring environmental pollutant influences. Histopathological analyses offer researchers the ability to study specific target organs and cells during in vivo exposure to potentially harmful, environment-polluting chemicals. Additionally, histopathology may be used to establish the specific patterns of both acute and chronic deleterious effects on tissues and organs to provide the prognostic evidence of the potential pathophysiological effects for both humans and animals. This review provides a general overview and evaluation of the main pathological alterations reported in fish exposed to environmental-polluting contaminants.

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Correspondence to Negin Salamat.

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Salamat, N., Zarie, M. Fish histopathology as a tool for use in marine environment monitoring: a review. Comp Clin Pathol 25, 1273–1278 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-014-2037-0

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