Abstract: | The stability of lysosomes in the digestive cells of Mytilus edulis is affected by changes in both the chemical and physical conditions of the environment.1 This type of response must reflect, at least in part, some change in the organisation of the lysosomal membrane, which is a structure which can be resolved by the electron microscope. However, conventional methods of tissue preparation have produced low contrast images of the digestive gland and damage to the lysosomal membranes. Recently a cryopreparation technique2 has produced lysosomal membrane preparations in the digestive cells of the digestive gland of Mytilus which have high contrast and structural integrity (Fig. 1) in control animals. This method has been used to demonstrate pathological alterations in the lysosomal membrane induced by the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PNAH) phenanthrene. Anthracene, an isomeric PNAH, had no effect on the morphology of the lysosomal membrane. Phenanthrene also induced apparent proliferation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum in the digestive cells. |