Regresar

Ultrastructural changes induced by cadmium in pronephros of colossoma macropomum

Abstract:

The effect of chronic exposure to cadmium on the ultrastructure of pronephros of Colossoma macropomum was evaluated, by studying 60 individuals of this species exposed through 31 days to sublethal doses of cadmium (0.1 mg/L), while inside aquariums in a semistatic system. The physical-chemical parameters were maintained constant during all test (pH 7.0 ± 0.3; temperature: 24 ± 1°C; total hardness: 106 mg/L; oxygen levels: 3.9 ± 0.1 mg/L), at the end of the exposure cycle the specimens were extracted and treated with conventional transmission electron microscopy techniques. The ultrastructural analysis demonstrated appreciable changes in the organs, tissue necrosis as well as blebbing in the cytoplasmic membrane of the granulopoietic cells. These findings show how at the ultrastructure level, the granulopoietic cells generated by the pronephros display sensitivity to cadmium exposure, allowing for them to be used as bioindicators to exposure to this metal.