| Author/Editor | Žnidaršič, Nada | |
| Title | Primerjava strukture celic hepatopankreasa pri enakonožnem raku Porcellio Scaber glede na vsebnost cinka ali kadmija v hrani | |
| Translated title | Analysis of the structural characteristics of hepatopancreatic cells in isopod crustacean Porcellio scaber with regard to zinc or cadmium concentration in food | |
| Type | monografija | |
| Place | Ljubljana | |
| Publisher | Medicinska fakulteta | |
| Publication year | 1999 | |
| Volume | str. 94 | |
| Language | slo | |
| Abstract | The effects of elevated concentrations of heavy metals in food on terrestrial isopods are studied to elucidate the toxicity of heavy metals for these animals, involved in decomposition of organic material in terrestrial ecosystems. It is important to understand the protective mechanisms, which enable the isopods to survive in areas contaminated with heavy metals. Stress factors can induce pathological and/or adaptive cellular responses. Alterations in cellular structure and function are early and sensitive indicators of exposure to stressful conditions. The importance of toxicity assessment at the cellular level in the context of ecotoxicology is based on the assumption that the cellular change can ultimately develop into ecological change. Hepatopancreas is the central metabolic organ of terrestrial isopods; it is the site of accumulation of heavy metals and hepatopancreatic cells are in direct contact with partly digested food, filtered from proventriculus into the lumen of hepatopancreas. Because of these characteristics, hepatopancreas is convenient for studying the effects of elevated concentrations of heavy metals in food on terrestrial isopods. Analysing structural characteristics of hepatopancreatic cells in isopod crustacean Porcellio scaber, we wanted to find out, whether the elevated concentrations of zinc (essential metal) or cadmium (non-essential metal) in food damage the cellular structure. On the basis of previous studies, the concentrations of zinc and cadmium, which didn't cause the reduction of feeding of these animals, were chosen. It is known, that animals, exposed to zinc or cadmium contaminat,ed food in similar experimental conditions, accumulate cadmium in their tissues, whereas zinc is not accumulated. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters) | |
| Descriptors | DIGESTIVE SYSTEM CRABS FOOD CONTAMINATION ZINC CADMIUM MICROSCOPY, ELECTRON CRUSTACEA |