| Abstract: | This study was conducted to test whether live cells from the liver of fish could be used to detect early changes that are indicative of pollutant-induced liver damage. Low-molecular-weight fluorescent molecular probes were inserted into isolated hepatocytes from dab (Limanda limanda) from a contaminated site and a reference site in the North Sea. These included bioprobes for endoplasmic reticulum (ER), cytochrome P-450-associated 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), oxyradicals, reduced glutathione (GSH) and microtubules (MT). Endocytosis of Texas Red-albumin was used as an integrated indicator of hepatocyte performance. Findings showed increases in ER-associated fluorescence, EROD and oxyradical generation, with a marked decrease in endocytosis in hepatocytes from fish caught at the contaminated site. These results indicate that fish from the historically contaminated site were impacted by organic xenobiotics which induced the biotransformation system, radical production and cell injury. |
