M. Brick et al., CELLULAR EFFECTS OF TRIBUTYLTIN (TBT) ON THE PENIS EPITHELIUM-CELLS OF PROSOBRANCHS (HINIA-RETICULATA AND OCINEBRINA-ACICULATA), Helgolander Meeresuntersuchungen, 50(3), 1996, pp. 319-325
Cytopathological effects on organelles of penis epithelium cells were
investigated in prosobranchs that had been exposed for two weeks to th
ree months to high TBT-concentrations in artificial seawater. TBT expo
sure damaged cell organelles, such as mitochondrial Golgi dictyosomes,
endoplasmatic reticulum, and injured the cell membranes. In addition,
atypical intercellular spaces were observed between the cells of the
epithelial layer. Further cell alterations included the increase of re
sidual bodies within the cells as well as structural changes of the ba
sal lamina. The ultrastructural changes were compared with cell altera
tions of specimens which had been collected in a polluted environment
on the coast of Brittany (France).