Summary
The acid hydrolase arylsulphatase has been localized at the ultrastructural level in digestive cells of the marine musselMytilus edulis for control and phenanthrene-treated (200µg/l) animals. In untreated mussels the activity was generally restricted to the lysosomal—vacuolar system and the Golgi apparatus. It was associated with all types of vesicle, although not all individual vesicles were reactive. In heterolysosomes which were filled with precipitate the reaction product was most densely associated with the limiting membranes. Lipid inclusions commonly occurred in the digestive cells; these sometimes showed limited reaction for enzyme activity. The striking difference between normal and phenanthrene-treated samples was the presence in all treated animals of reaction product in the inter-cellular spaces and varying degrees of cytoplasmic activity in a number of digestive cells. This is interpreted as a sign of impending cell deletion. Sections for morphological examination showed evidence of increased digestive cell deletion in phenanthrene-treated mussels. The process results in release of membrane-bound bodies into the tubule lumen.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
BOWEN, I. D. (1981) Techniques for demonstrating cell death. InCell Death in Biology and Pathology (edited by BOWEN, I. D. and LOCKSHIN, R. A.) pp. 379–444. London: Chapman and Hall.
BOWEN, I. D. (1984) Laboratory techniques for demonstrating cell death. InCell Ageing and Cell Death (edited by DAVIES, I. and SIGEE, D. C.) pp. 5–40. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
BOWEN, I. D. & DAVIES, P. (1971) The fine structural distribution of acid phosphatase in the digestive gland ofArion hortensis (Fer.).Protoplasma 73, 73–81.
BOWEN, I. D. & LOCKSHIN, R. A. (1981) (eds.)Cell Death in Biology and Pathology. London, New York: Chapman and Hall.
BOWEN, I. D. & RYDER, T. A. (1974) Cell autolysis and deletion in the planarianPolycelis tenuis Iijima.Cell Tiss. Res. 154, 265–74.
BOWEN, I. D. & RYDER, T. A. (1976) Use of thep-nitrophenyl phosphate method for the demonstration of acid phosphatase during starvation and cell autolysis in the planarianPolycelis tenuis Iijima.Histochem. J. 8, 319–29.
BURSCH, W., TAPER, H. S., LAUER, B. & SCHULTE-HERMANN, R. (1985) Quantitative histological and histochemical studies on the occurrence and stages of controlled cell death (apoptosis) during regression of rat liver hyperplasia.Virchows Arch. B Cell Pathol. 50, 153–66.
DAVIES, I. & SIGEE, D. C. (1984) (eds.)Cell Ageing and Cell Death. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press.
HOPSAU-HAVU, V. K. & HELMINEN, H. (1974) Sulfatases. InElectron Microscopy of Enzymes Principles and Methods, Vol. 2 (edited by HAYAT, M. A.) pp. 90–109. New York, Toronto, London: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
HOPSU-HAVU, V. K., ARSTILA, A. U., HELMINEN, H. J. & KALIMO, H. O. (1967) Improvements in the method for the electron microscopic localization of arylsulphatase.Histochemie 8, 54–64.
LANGTON, R. W. (1975) Synchrony in the digestive diverticula ofMytilus edulis (L.).J. Marine Biol. Assoc. UK 55, 221–9.
LOWE, D. M., MOORE, M. N. & CLARKE, K. R. (1981) Effects of oil on digestive cells in mussels: quantitative alterations in cellular and lysosomal structure.Aquat. Toxicol. 1, 213–26.
MCQUISTON, R. W. (1969) Cyclic activity in the digestive diverticula ofLasaea rubra (Montagu) (Bivalvia: Eulamellibranchia)Proc. malac. Soc. Lond. 38, 438–95.
MOORE, M. N. (1976) Cytochemical demonstration of latency of lysosomal hydrolases in digestive cells of the common mussel,Mytilus edulis, and changes induced by thermal stress.Cell Tiss. Res. 175, 279–87.
MOORE, M. N. (1985) Cellular responses to pollutants.Mar. Pollut. Bull. 16, 134–9.
MOORE, M. N. & FARRAR, S. V. (1985) Effects of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons on lysosomal membranes in molluscs.Marine Environ. Res. 17, 222–5.
MOORE, M. N., MAYERNIK, J. A. & GIAM, C. S. (1985) Lysosomal responses to a polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon in a marine snail; effects of exposure to phenanthrene and recovery.Marine Environ. Res. 17, 230–3.
MOORE, M. N., LIVINGSTONE, D. R., WIDDOWS, J., LOWE, D. M. & PIPE, R. K. (1987) Molecular, cellular and physiological effects of oil-derived hydrocarbons on molluscs and their use in impact assessment.Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B. (in press).
MORTON, B. (1983) Feeding and digestion in bivalvia. InThe Mollusca, Vol. 5: Physiology, Part 2 (edited by SALEUDDIN, A. S. M. and WILBUR, K. M.) pp. 65–147. London: Academic Press.
NOTT, J. A., MOORE, M. N., MAVIN, L. & RYAN, K. P. (1985) The fine structure of lysosomal membranes and endoplasmic reticulum in the digestive cells ofMytilus edulis exposed to anthracene and phenanthrene.Marine Environ. Res. 17, 230–3.
OWEN, G. (1972) Lysosomes, peroxisomes and bivalves.Sci. Prog., Oxford 60, 299–318.
OWEN, G. (1974) Feeding and digestion in the bivalvia.Adv. Comp. Physiol. Biochem. 5, 1–35.
OXFORD, G. S. & FISH, L. J. (1979) Ultrastructural localization of esterase and acid phosphatase in digestive gland cells of fed and starvedCepaea nemoralis (L.) (Mollusca: Helicidae).Protoplasma 101, 181–96.
PIPE, R. K. (1986) Light and electron microscope localization ofβ-glucuronidase activity in the stomach and digestive gland of the marine gastropodLittorina littorea.Histochem. J. 18, 175–84.
PIPE, R. K. & MOORE, M. N. (1985a) Ultrastructural changes in the lysosomal—vacuolar system in digestive cells ofMytilus edulis as a response to increased salinity.Marine Biol. 87, 157–63.
PIPE, R. K. & MOORE, M. N. (1985b) The ultrastructural localization of lysosomal acid hydrolases in developing oocytes of the common marine musselMytilus edulis.Histochem. J. 17, 939–49.
PIPE, R. K. & MOORE, M. N. (1986) An ultrastructural study on the effects of phenanthrene on lysosomal membranes and distribution of the lysosomal enzymeβ-glucuronidase in digestive cells of the periwinkleLittorina littorea.Aquat. Tox. 8, 65–76.
PLATT, A. M. (1971) Studies on the digestive diverticula ofMytilus edulis (L). PhD thesis, Queen's University, Belfast.
POTTEN, C. S., HENDRY, J. H., MOORE, J. V. & CHWALINSKI, S. (1983) Cytotoxic effects in gastro-intestinal epithelum (as exemplified by small intestine). InCytotoxic Insult to Tissue, (edited by POTTEN, C. S. and HENDRY, J. H.) pp. 105–52. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
SANGUINI, L. C., PEDERZOLI, A., DUBOIS, G., MASSON, M., DAVOLIO, E., VOLPI, N. & BOLOGNANI, L. (1984) Shift of optimal pH in arylsulphatase from mollusca depending on temperature.Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 78B, 533–7.
SUMNER, A. T. (1969) The distribution of some hydrolytic enzymes in the cells of the digestive gland of certain lamellibranchs and gastropods.J. Zool., Lond. 15B, 277–91.
WYLLIE, A. H. (1981) Cell death: a new classification separating apoptosis from necrosis. InCell Death in Biology and Pathology (edited by BOWEN, I. D. and LOCKSHIN, R. A.) pp. 9–34. London: Chapman and Hall.
WYLLIE, A. H., KERR, J. F. R. & CURRIE, A. R. (1980) Cell death: the significance of apoptosis.Int. Rev. Cytol. 68, 251–306.
WYLLIE, A. H., DUVALL, E. & BLOW, J. J. (1984) Intracellular mechanisms in cell death in normal and pathological tissues. InCell Ageing and Cell Death (edited by DAVIES, I. and SIGEE, D. C.) pp. 269–94. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
YAMADA, T., OHYAMA, H., KINJO, Y. & WATANABE, M. (1981) Evidence for the internucleosomal breakage of chromatin in rat thymocytes irradiatedin vitro.Radiat. Res. 85, 544–53.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pipe, R.K., Moore, M.N. Arylsulphatase activity associated with phenanthrene induced digestive cell deletion in the marine musselMytilus edulis . Histochem J 18, 557–564 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01675197
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01675197