Molecular and Histocytological Biomarkers - Ecological Biomarkers: Indicators of Ecotoxicological Effects - page 89

TABLE 4.3
Evaluation of Histocytological Biomarkers for Biomonitoring of Marine Pollution

Ecological
Relevance

Dose-Response
Relationship

Confounding
Factors

Technical
Dificulties

Cost-
Effectiveness Biomarkers Sensitivity Speciicity

External fish disease
Fin erosion M H L H M L H

Skeletal malformation M H H H H L H

Epidermal hyperplasia M H L H ? L H

Operculum abnormalities M ? H ? M M M-H

Internal fish disease
Liver histopathology H M-H L H M H M

Gill histopathology H H L H L-M H M

Kidney histopathology H L L ? M H L

Oocyte atresia H H L H H M M-L

Embryonic effect H H L H M H M

Macrophage aggregates M H L H H M M

Histopathology of mollusks H H L ? ? H M-L

Cytopathology
Lysosome integrity L-M H L H H M H

Lipopigment content L-M H M M-H ? M-H M-L

Peroxisome proliferation L-M M M M-L H M-H M

Source: Au, D.W.T., Mar. Pollut. Bull ., 48, 817-834, 2004. With permission.
Note: L, low; M, medium; H, high; ?, unknown.