Detoxication enzymes as indicators of environmental stress on fish
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN (United States)
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA (United States)
Organisms possess several genetically mechanisms that cope with exposure to toxic contaminants in the environment. Two systems involved in the defense against xenobiotic compounds are the immune response and the induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Fish can metabolize foreign chemicals mainly by oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, and conjugation reactions catalyzed by various enzymes, which are mainly localized in the liver but are also found in lower concentrations in other tissues. Metal-binding proteins (methallothioneins) also are induced by high concentrations of heavy metals. A major advantage of using the activity and quantity of these enzymes as indicators of stress instead of other biochemical measures is their sensitivity to specific types of pollutants. Efforts are being made to use enzyme activities in conjunction with other biological indicators, such as the immune response and histopathology of certain tissues, to evaluate integrated responses of organisms to chronic stress.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 7014416
- Journal Information:
- [Formerly used by DOE/TIC for titles for which valid CODEN was not available. Now invalid] 92-DEC-15; (Country unknown/Code not available), Vol. 8
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
FISHES
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
METALS
TOXICITY
WATER POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
XENOBIOTICS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYME INDUCTION
METALLOTHIONEIN
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ELEMENTS
GENE REGULATION
METALLOPROTEINS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PROTEINS
VERTEBRATES
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology