Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology C-toxicology & Pharmacology 

About: Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology C-toxicology & Pharmacology is an academic journal published by Elsevier BV. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Oxidative stress & Medicine. It has an ISSN identifier of 1532-0456. Over the lifetime, 2924 publications have been published receiving 95816 citations. The journal is also known as: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part C, Toxicology and pharmacology & Toxicology and pharmacology.

How should salinity influence fish growth

Abstract: Development and growth (continuous in fish) are controlled by 'internal factors' including CNS, endocrinological and neuroendocrinological systems. Among vertebrates, they also are highly dependent on environmental conditions. Among other factors, many studies have reported an influence of water salinity on fish development and growth. In most species, egg fertilization and incubation, yolk sac resorption, early embryogenesis, swimbladder inflation, larval growth are dependent on salinity. In larger fish, salinity is also a key factor in controlling growth. Do the changes in growth rate, that depend on salinity, result from an action on: (1) standard metabolic rate; (2) food intake; (3) food conversion; and/or (4) hormonal stimulation? Better growth at intermediate salinities (8-20 psu) is very often, but not systematically, correlated to a lower standard metabolic rate. Numerous studies have shown that 20 to >50% of the total fish energy budget are dedicated to osmoregulation. However, recent ones indicate that the osmotic cost is not as high (roughly 10%) as this. Data are also available in terms of food intake and stimulation of food conversion, which are both dependent on the environmental salinity. Temperature and salinity have complex interactions. Many hormones are known to be active in both osmoregulation and growth regulation, e.g. in the control of food intake. All of these factors are reviewed. As often, multiple causality is likely to be at work and the interactive effects of salinity on physiology and behaviour must also be taken into account.

Metabolites from algae with economical impact

Abstract: In order to survive in a highly competitive environment, freshwater or marine algae have to develop defense strategies that result in a tremendous diversity of compounds from different metabolic pathways. Recent trends in drug research from natural sources have shown that algae are promising organisms to furnish novel biochemically active compounds. The current review describes the main substances biosynthesized by algae with potential economic impact in food science, pharmaceutical industry and public health. Emphasis is given to fatty acids, steroids, carotenoids, polysaccharides, lectins, mycosporine-like amino acids, halogenated compounds, polyketides and toxins.

The biotic ligand model : a historical overview

Abstract: During recent years, the biotic ligand model (BLM) has been proposed as a tool to evaluate quantitatively the manner in which water chemistry affects the speciation and biological availability of metals in aquatic systems. This is an important consideration because it is the bioavailability and bioreactivity of metals that control their potential to cause adverse effects. The BLM approach has gained widespread interest amongst the scientific, regulated and regulatory communities because of its potential for use in developing water quality criteria (WQC) and in performing aquatic risk assessments for metals. Specifically, the BLM does this in a way that considers the important influences of site-specific water quality. This journal issue includes papers that describe recent advances with regard to the development of the BLM approach. Here, the current status of the BLM development effort is described in the context of the longer-term history of advances in the understanding of metal interactions in the environment upon which the BLM is based. Early developments in the aquatic chemistry of metals, the physiology of aquatic organisms and aquatic toxicology are reviewed first, and the degree to which each of these disciplines influenced the development of water quality regulations is discussed. The early scientific advances that took place in each of these fields were not well coordinated, making it difficult for regulatory authorities to take full advantage of the potential utility of what had been learned. However, this has now changed, with the BLM serving as a useful interface amongst these scientific disciplines, and within the regulatory arena as well. The more recent events that have led to the present situation are reviewed, and consideration is given to some of the future needs and developments related to the BLM that are envisioned. The research results that are described in the papers found in this journal issue represent a distinct milestone in the ongoing evolution of the BLM approach and, more generally, of approaches to performing ecological assessments for metals in aquatic systems. These papers also establish a benchmark to which future scientific and regulatory developments can be compared. Finally, they demonstrate the importance and usefulness of the concept of bioavailability and of evaluative tools such as the BLM.

Thyroid hormones in growth and development of fish

Abstract: The thyroid hormones (THs), thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) are products of the thyroid gland in all vertebrates. Their role in early development and metamorphosis is well established in mammals and amphibians, respectively, and recently several studies in fish have highlighted the importance of THs during flatfish metamorphosis. THs are present in high quantities in fish eggs and are presumably of maternal origin. During embryogenesis the concentration of T4 and T3 in the eggs decrease until endogenous production starts. Thyroid hormone receptors (TR) have been isolated from several teleosts and in common with tetrapods two receptor isoforms have been identified, TRα and TRβ. Both the receptors are expressed in early embryos and larvae of the Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), zebrafish (Danio rerio) and seabream (Sparus aurata) although a different temporal pattern is apparent. The role of THs and TRs in fish embryogenesis, larval development and during metamorphosis will be discussed.

The use of biomarkers in biomonitoring: a 2-tier approach assessing the level of pollutant-induced stress syndrome in sentinel organisms.

Abstract: The paper outlines a 2-tier approach for wide-scale biomonitoring programmes. To obtain a high level of standardization, we suggest the use of caged organisms (mussels or fish). An "early warning", highly sensitive, low-cost biomarker is employed in tier 1 (i.e. lysosomal membrane stability (LMS) and survival rate, a marker for highly polluted sites). Tier 2 is used only for animals sampled at sites in which LMS changes are evident and there is no mortality, with a complete battery of biomarkers assessing the levels of pollutant-induced stress syndrome. Possible approaches for integrating biomarker data in a synthetic index are discussed, along with our proposal to use a recently developed Expert System. The latter system allows a correct selection of biomarkers at different levels of biological organisation (molecular/cellular/tissue/organism) taking into account trends in pollutant-induced biomarker changes (increasing, decreasing, bell-shape). A selection of biomarkers of stress, genotoxicity and exposure usually employed in biomonitoring programmes is presented, together with a brief overview of new biomolecular approaches.