title: Ultraviolet radiation induces dose-dependent pigment dispersion in crustacean chromatophores.
abstract: Pigment dispersion in chromatophores as a response to UV radiation was investigated in two species of crustaceans, the crab Chasmagnathus granulata and the shrimp Palaemonetes argentinus. Eyestalkless crabs and shrimps maintained on either a black or a white background were irradiated with different UV bands. In eyestalkless crabs the significant minimal effective dose inducing pigment dispersion was 0.42 J/cm(2) for UVA and 2.15 J/cm(2) for UVB. Maximal response was achieved with 10.0 J/cm(2) UVA and 8.6 J/cm(2) UVB. UVA was more effective than UVB in inducing pigment dispersion. Soon after UV exposure, melanophores once again reached the initial stage of pigment aggregation after 45 min. Aggregated erythrophores of shrimps adapted to a white background showed significant pigment dispersion with 2.5 J/cm(2) UVA and 0.29 J/cm(2) UVC. Dispersed erythrophores of shrimps adapted to a black background did not show any significant response to UVA, UVB or UVC radiation. UVB did not induce any significant pigment dispersion in shrimps adapted to either a white or a black background. As opposed to the tanning response, which only protects against future UV exposure, the pigment dispersion response could be an important agent protecting against the harmful effects of UV radiation exposure.
authors.affiliation: Fundação Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Fisiologia Animal Comparada, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Glauce Ribeiro
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Gouveia
authors.forename: Thaís Martins
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Carla Amorim
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.forename: Luiz Eduardo Maia
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Nery
authors.forename: Gilma Santos
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Trindade
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000502:physiology*; D002856:Chromatophores / Q000378:metabolism*; D003116:Color; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000378:metabolism*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D010860:Pigments, Biological