Ultrastructural Changes in the Posterior Gut of Atlantic Herring, Clupea harengus L. Larvae Exposed to Mercury

摘要

Cellular changes attributed to mercury solutions (0.02, 0.05, 0.1 ug~(-1)) were observed in columnar cells in the posterior gut of Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus L. larvae. Significant changes occurred in the specimens exposed to 0.05 and 0.1 (ug~(-1) mercury. These changes were (a) cytoplasm contained vacuoles and few ribosomes (b) increase in the relative volume of the mitochondria (c) reduction in the surface-to-volume ratio of the mitochondria cristae (d) swelling of smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum (e) decrease in the number of microvilli at the lumen surface. The morphology of the columnar cells from control specimens is discussed.