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Cytological response of hemocytes in the European flat oyster, Ostrea edulis, experimentally exposed to mercury

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Abstract

Molluscs bivalves have been widely used as bioindicators to monitor contamination levels in coastal waters. In addition, many studies have attempted to analyze bivalve organs, considered pollutant-targets, to understand the bio-accumulation process and to characterize the effects of pollutants on the organisms. Here we analyzed the effects of mercury exposure on flat oyster hemocytes. Optical and electronic microscope procedures were used to characterize hemocyte morphology. In addition, cell solutions treated with acridine orange were analyzed by flow cytometry and laser scanning cytometry in order to evaluate the variations of cytoplasmic granules (red fluorescence, ARF) and cell size (green fluorescence, AGF) of hemocyte populations over time. Light and electron microscopical studies enabled us to differentiate four hemocyte subpopulations, agranulocytes (Types I and II) and granulocytes (Types I and II). Slight morphological differences were observed between control and Hg-exposed cells only in granulocytes exposed to Hg for 30 days, where condensed chromatin and partially lysed cytoplasmic regions were detected. Flow and laser scanning cytometry studies allowed us to differentiate three hemocyte populations, agranulocytes (R1) and granulocytes (R2 and R3). The exposure time to Hg increased the average red fluorescence (ARF) of agranulocytes and small granulocytes, while there was no change in large granulocytes, which showed a loss of membrane integrity. In control oysters, the three hemocyte populations showed an increase of ARF after 19 days of exposure although initial values were restored after 30 days. The average green fluorescence (AGF) was more stable than the ARF throughout the experiment. In Hg-exposed oysters, the values of AGF of agranulocytes showed an increase at half Hg-exposure period while the AGF values of large granulocytes decreased throughout the experiment, confirming the instability of these types of cells. The relative percentage of small granulocytes and granulocytes showed time variations in both control and exposed oysters. However, the values of small granulocytes remained constant during the whole experiment. The fact that there were only changes in agranulocytes and large granulocytes suggested a possible relationship between these two types of cells. In a quantitative study, we found a significant linear relationship between the agranulocytes and large granulocytes.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the C. Reference and Development in Aquaculture of Generalitat de Catalunya (Proj. 3339). We thank Serveis Científico-Tècnics of the Universitat de Barcelona for technical assistance and Centre d’Estudis Marins de Badalona (Barcelona) for technical and material support. We also thank R. Rycroft (Serv. Correccio Lingüística of the University of Barcelona) for the revision of the English version.

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  1. Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal-645, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain

    Montserrat Bigas, Mercè Durfort & Montserrat Poquet

  2. C. Referència I Desenvolupament en Aquïcultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain

    Montserrat Bigas, Mercè Durfort & Montserrat Poquet

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  1. Montserrat Bigas
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  2. Mercè Durfort
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Correspondence to Montserrat Poquet.

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Bigas, M., Durfort, M. & Poquet, M. Cytological response of hemocytes in the European flat oyster, Ostrea edulis, experimentally exposed to mercury. Biometals 19, 659–673 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-006-9003-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-006-9003-5

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