title: Histopathological changes in the head kidney induced by cadmium in a neotropical fish Colossoma macropomum.
abstract: We evaluated the effect of cadmium (Cd) on the structure and function of the head kidney in the freshwater fish Colossoma macropomum (C. macropomum). Juveniles were exposed to 0.1 mg/L CdCl2 for 31 days. Blood samples were examined using hematological tests and head kidney histology was determined by light microscopy. The concentration of Cd in the head and trunk kidneys was measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Cd produced histopathological changes in the head kidney, the most evident of these being: the thickening of the vein wall, an increase in the number of basophils/mast cells close to blood vessels and a severe depletion of hematopoietic precursors especially the granulopoietic series. In the blood, a decrease in the total leucocytes and hemoglobin concentration was observed. Cd-exposed fish showed higher Cd concentrations in the trunk kidney than the head kidney. In conclusion, exposure to Cd affected precursor hematopoietic cells in C. macropomum.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioanálisis, Laboratorio de Proteínas e Inmunotoxicidad, Postgrado de Biología Aplicada, Escuela de Ciencias, Núcleo de Sucre, Universidad de Oriente, Cumaná, Venezuela.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salazar-Lugo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioanálisis, Laboratorio de Proteínas e Inmunotoxicidad, Postgrado de Biología Aplicada, Escuela de Ciencias, Núcleo de Sucre, Universidad de Oriente, Cumaná, Venezuela.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Histología, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biomedicina y Ciencias Aplicadas (IIBCA-UDO), Núcleo de Sucre, Universidad de Oriente, Cumaná, Venezuela.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Laboratorio de Ecofisiología y Contaminación Ambiental, Escuela de Ciencias, Núcleo de Sucre, Universidad de Oriente, Cumaná, Venezuela.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lemus
keywords: Cadmium; Colossoma macropomum; Granulocytes; Head kidney; Histology