Veterinary Archives, Vol. 78 No. 1, 2008.
Original scientific paper
Toxic effects of sodium arsenate (Na2HAsO4x7H2O) on the skin epidermis of air-breathing catfish Clarias batrachus (L.)
Ajai Kumar Singh
; Department of Zoology, Centre of Advanced Studies, Banaras Hindu University, Varansi, India
Tarun Kumar Banerjee
; Department of Zoology, Centre of Advanced Studies, Banaras Hindu University, Varansi, India
Abstract
The toxicopathological effects have been investigated of a sublethal concentration (1 ppm) of sodium arsenate on the epidermis of the skin of air-breathing catfish Clarias batrachus L. The skin that acts as an accessory respiratory organ in this fish, faces direct contact stress of the toxicants and exhibits extensive damage, including massive wear and tear, sloughing of the epithelial cells (ECs) along with degeneration of the club cells (CCs) whose contents get squeezed out onto the body surface. This causes altered histomorphology of the epidermis. The mucous cells (MCs) show great hyperplasia and hypertrophy at most exposure periods. The staining properties of MCs also showed periodic alterations exhibiting more affinity for sulphate moieties. A thick layer of slime very often protects the surface of the skin. The epidermis also exhibits periodic but independent fluctuations in its protein, RNA and DNA contents. This is due to periodic synthesis, accumulation and sloughing of the slime, along with degeneration followed by regeneration of its different cellular elements, especially in the earlier stages of the treatment.
Keywords
accessory respiratory organ; Clarias batrachus; histopathology; skin; sodium arsenate
Hrčak ID:
24251
URI
Publication date:
20.2.2008.
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