Reasearch Topics > Toxicity studies > Histopathology in Crustacea

Histopathological changes are integrators of the cumulative effects of alterations in physiological and biochemical systems in an organism (Wester et al. 2002) The primary advantage of histopathology is that it permits the visual localization of injury to unique cells and tissues in multiple organs as it existed just prior to sacrifice and fixation of the tissue. In contrast to tissue homogenates, this approach provides a window to understanding the organization of cells, tissues and organs. The use of histopathology as a research tool also permits documentation of essential biological characteristics of the animal being investigated for sexual, histological, and reproductive status, all variables that may also influence the histological evaluation of the specimen. Histopathological examination can also be used as an adjunct method to diagnose certain infectious diseases that may be linked to environmental or anthropogenic stressors.

The limitation of histopathology is that the ability of the investigator to accurately detect alteration from the »range of normality« depends on a number of factors. First, the tissue must be properly fixed, processed and stained. Second, for accurate interpretation of sections the examiner must be familiar with the range of normal morphologic variations due to sex, reproductive and nutritional status and season. Perhaps the most conspicuous limitation of histopathology in environmental studies is its lower sensitivity to chemicals compared to biochemical and cellular biomarkers.

In our study, histological parameters of digestive gland tubes (hepatopancreas) are analyzed. Tissue samples are fixed, stained and prepared for light microscopy. Morphological parameters and distribution of lipid droplets along the gland tubes are measured on serial sections using an image analysis system. We established some standardized criteria for histopathological assessment.