Hepatocyte ultrastructure following exposure to Aroclors and pure polychlorinated biphenyls

Journal Article · · Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6282454

Williams, C S; Jones, B C; Nchege, O ^[1]; Chung, R A ^[2]

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1. Tuskegee Univ., AL (United States)
2. Univ. of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls (United States)

Three agriculturally important minor species, the goat, rabbit, and duck, were exposed to various subclinical levels of pure polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and/or PCB mixtures (Aroclors) for short periods of time. Upon sacrifice, liver samples were prepared for ultrastructural observation. Regardless of species, hapatocytes displayed qualitatively similar morphological responses to PCB exposure. At lower exposure levels, cellular changes included increased density of mitochondrial matrix and proliferation of endoplasmic reticulum. At higher exposure levels, degradative changes such as cytoplasmic loss and peripheralization of cytoplasm and organelles became more obvious. When compared quantitatively, it was obvious that goats were much more sensitive to PCB exposure than either rabbits or ducks. Goats showed extensive hepatocyte degradation (cytoplasmic and nucleoplasmic leaching) at exposures of 2 mg/kg body weight of Aroclor 1254. Such species-related differences in response to chlorinated biphenyls cautions against the use of single species animal models in xenobiotic exposure studies. 64 refs., 14 figs.

• OSTI ID: 6282454
• Journal Information: Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology; (United States) Vol. 12:1; ISSN 0731-8898; ISSN JEPOEC
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550300 -- Cytology
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIRDS
BODY
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CYTOPLASM
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
DUCKS
ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM
FOWL
GLANDS
GOATS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
LIVER
LIVER CELLS
MAMMALS
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
RABBITS
RUMINANTS
SENSITIVITY
SOMATIC CELLS
ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES
VERTEBRATES