title: Structural and functional alterations in Malpighian tubules as biomarkers of environmental pollution: synopsis and prospective.
abstract: Although a number of biomarkers of pollutant exposure have been identified in invertebrate species, little is known about the effect on Malpighian tubules playing an essential role in excretion and osmoregulation. Analyses of structural and functional alterations on this organ can be useful to predict the effects at the organism and population level in monitoring studies of environmental pollution. The aim of the present review is to provide a synthesis of existing knowledge on cellular damages induced by xenobiotics in Malpighian tubules both under laboratory and field conditions. We compared studies of exposure to pesticides and heavy metals as mainly environmental contaminants from anthropogenic activities. This report provided evidence that the exposure to xenobiotics has an effect on this organ and reinforces the need for further research integrating molecular biomarkers with analysis on Malpighian tubules. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Ecologia e Scienze della Terra, Università della Calabria, Rende, Italy.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6513-5027
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giglio
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Ecologia e Scienze della Terra, Università della Calabria, Rende, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brandmayr
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D007313:Insecta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008317:Malpighian Tubules / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D010575:Pesticides
keywords: biomonitoring; heavy metal; invertebrates; pesticides; ultrastructural modifications