This Article Free Full Text Free Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wolf, J. C. Articles by Wolfe, M. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wolf, J. C. Articles by Wolfe, M. J. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

A Brief Overview of Nonneoplastic Hepatic Toxicity in Fish

Experimental Pathology Laboratories, Inc., Sterling, Virginia 20166, USA

Correspondence: Address correspondence to: Dr. Jeffrey C. Wolf, Experimental Pathology Laboratories, Inc., 22866 Shaw Road, Sterling, Virginia 20166, USA; e-mail:jwolfepl{at}aol.com

Biochemical assays are not routinely used to assess liver damage in fish, therefore, a histopathological evaluation is usually required to determine the existence or extent of nonneoplastic liver toxicity. Many mammalian pathologists may be uncomfortable when requested to identify and interpret subtle liver changes in these unfamiliar animals. It may be reassuring to note that there are more similarities than differences between fish and mammals in terms of their macro- and microanatomy, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and pathologic responses to hepatotoxic substances. This brief overview addresses several topics pertaining to hepatotoxicity in fish, including: anatomic considerations, that is, how the anatomy of the fish liver may be predictive of its metabolic capacity, and also its microscopic appearance, following exposure to toxins; physiologic considerations, including comparisons between mammalian and fish livers regarding the uptake, elimination, toxification, or detoxification of xenobiotic compounds; morphologic responses to toxicity, in which some of the general types of findings that are most commonly observed in cases or studies of fish hepatotoxicity are highlighted; and last, responses of the fish liver to specific hepatotoxins.

Key Words: Liver • hepatic toxicity • fishes • aquatic toxicology • anatomy • bioassay • microcystin

Abbreviations: CCl₄, carbon tetrachloride • DBTC, di-n-butyltindi-chloride • DEN, N-nitrosodiethylamine, diethylnitrosamine • PCB, poly-chorinated biphenyl • TBTC, tri-n-butyltin chloride • TBTO, bis[tri-n-butyltin]oxide

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?