• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.151-163
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• 2012

Digestive cells of the bivalves have a highly developed lysosomal system and the system is known to be sensitive to changes in environmental qualities. In this study, we measured lysosomal responses of the digestive cells in wild oyster, Crassostrea gigas using frozen section. Oysters were collected in June 2010 from intertidal areas in the inner and outer bay of Gwangyang off the south coast of Korea. From the tissue sections, we measured the digestive cell lysosomal membrane stability (LMS), level of neutral lipids (NL), lipofuscin (LF) and the digestive gland atrophy (DGA). The DGA and condition index of oysters from the inner bay were significantly lower (P<0.05). The statistical test indicated that LMS levels of oysters in the inner bay and the outer bay were not significantly different since a shorter activity was displayed by oysters from the inner bay than that of oysters in outer bay. The LF deposition level of the oysters in the inner bay displayed significantly higher levels than the outer bay (P<0.05). In contrast, the NL accumulation measured from oysters in outer bay was significantly higher than the level observed in the inner bay (P<0.05). Different levels of DGA and LF that were observed in the inner and outer bays were thought to be associated to different level of environmental contamination and these two assays are considered to be good biomarkers.

• Proceedings of the Malacological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.12-12
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• 2003

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.2 s.57
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• pp.119-128
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• 2007

The present study was conducted to find out effect of PFOS on survival, activity, growth and organ structure of the melania snail, Semisulcospira gottschei. Experimental groups were composed of one control condition and four PFOS exposure condition (0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 5.0 mg/L). After 16 week exposure, survival rate and activity were not significantly influenced at the two lower exposure groups, 0.1 and 0.5 mg/L, but they were significantly reduced in 1.0 and 5.0 mg/L groups. Total weight and meat weight rate (MWR) were reduced in PFOS exposure group in comparison to control group. Also, histological degenerations such as acidification of mucous, necrosis and split of muscular fiber bundle, atrophy of anterior pedal gland were recognized in the foot. Hepatopancreas showed the atrophy and degeneration of the digestive cell, vacuolation of digestive gland and closure of lumen in digestive gland.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.341-350
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• 2009

This study involves a relationship between butyltins concentrations and histopathological changes of the digestive gland in the equilateral venus, Gomphina veneriformis exposed to TBTCl of 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 ${\mu}g/L$ for 36 weeks. In the sediment, total butyltin (${\sum}BT$) concentration was detected ND~7.54 (0.4 ${\mu}g/L$), ND~9.76 (0.6 ${\mu}g/L$), 1.22~13.13 ${\mu}g/L$ (0.8 ${\mu}g/L$), respectively. Especially, TBT level in 0.8 ${\mu}g/L$ group was the highest for 36 weeks. In the soft tissue, total butyltin (${\sum}BT$) concentration of the exposure group was 10.14~12.75 (control), 479.29~1,286.56 (0.4 ${\mu}g/L$), 563.32~2,154.82 (0.6 ${\mu}g/L$) and 1,317.70~2,132.60 ${\mu}g/L$ (0.8 ${\mu}g/L$), respectively. Ratio of TBT to ${\sum}BT$ of the tissue of 0.8 ${\mu}g/L$ kept the lowest level for 36 weeks. The ${\sum}BT$ concentrations of sediment were correlated with ${\sum}BT$ concentrations in the tissue. In the exposure groups, necrosis and atrophy of columnar epithelial cell and collapse of epithelial layer in the digestive tubule. And there was a reduction in stain affinity of basophilic cell. Such histological degenerations was more severe in digestive tubule of 0.8 ${\mu}g/L$ group.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.121-134
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• 2014

Sessile marine bivalves including mussels, oysters and clams are often used as a sentinel species in coastal environmental monitoring since changes in the environmental quality are often well preserved in their tissues and shells. In this study, we investigated overall health condition of the Mediterranean Mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis on the south coast using histology. Reproductive condition as gonad index (GI), condition index (CI) as a ratio of the tissue weight to the shell weight, digestive gland atrophy (DGA), types of parasites, and pathologic conditions including erosion, necrosis, hemocyte infiltration, and neoplasia were examined from each histological preparation. GI decreased from March to July then increased from July to September and spawning mussel could be observed as early as in April and the activity continued until September. CI also followed the monthly changes in GI, indicating that decrease in CI was associated with the weight loss due to spawning. DGA increased from March to June, decreased in July and increased from July to September. High DGA values observed in June and September were coincided with spawning and high water temperature. Histology also showed high prevalence of erosion in the digestive gland in June (36.0%) and September (56.4%), suggesting that high water temperature and spawning acted as environmental stressors. No parasitic organism was identified during the survey, although some symbiotic copepods were observed. Histology was found to be useful and affordable technique in monitoring the overall health of mussel, providing useful pathologic information of the cells and tissues.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.319-329
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• 2022

The paramyxean parasite Marteilioides chungmuensis infects the cytoplasm of the eggs of Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas , resulting in spawning failure of the infected females. Such infected eggs appear as bump-like nodules on the body in late fall when most of the uninfected females complete spawning. In this study, we estimated the quantity of the infected eggs using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which is destroyed by M. chungmuensis parasitism. In December, the infected oysters collected from Tongyoung on the south coast exhibited numerous yellowish bump-like nodules as signs of infection. In histology, the infected oysters exhibited mature eggs in the follicle, which were heavily infiltrated by hemocytes. ELISA indicated that the infected egg mass accounted for 7.52±5.50 percent of the body weight, suggesting the ovarian parasite causes substantial reproductive loss. Histology also indicated that the infected oysters are in a poor nutritional condition, as the digestive gland atrophy (DGA) level is comparatively higher than the uninfected oyster. The total carbohydrate contents in the infected oysters (108.68±44.41 mg/g dry wt) were significantly lower than in uninfected oysters (269.76±50.97 mg/g dry wt), suggesting that M. chungmuensis parasitism also affected the energy storage capacity of the host during the resting stage.