title: The involvement of metallothionein in the development of aquatic invertebrate.
abstract: The many documents on metallothioneins (MTs) in aquatic organisms focus especially on their use as biomarkers in environmental monitoring programs, but there are a few papers that summarize the physiological role of MTs in aquatic organisms especially in their development. The multifaceted role of MTs include involvement in homeostasis, protection against heavy metals and oxidant damage, metabolic regulation, sequestration and/or redox control. MTs could be induced by heavy metals which are able to hinder gametogenesis, suppress embryogenesis, and hamper development. Here we pay more attention on the non-essential metal cadmium, which is the most studied heavy metal regarding MTs, and its effects on the development of aquatic invertebrates. In this paper, we have collected published information on MTs in aquatic organisms - mollusks, crustaceans, etc., and summarize its functions in aquatic invertebrates, especially those related to their development.
authors.affiliation: The Sperm Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Da-Hui
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wan-Xi
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008668:Metallothionein