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EFFECT OF SUBLETHAL DOSES OF CADMIUM, INORGANIC MERCURY AND METHYLMERCURY ON THE CELL MORPHOLOGY OF AN INSECT CELL LINE ( AEDES ALBOPICTUS , C6/36)
Author(s) -
BRAECKMAN BART,
SIMOENS CAROLINE,
RZEZNIK URSZULA,
RAES HILDA
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
cell biology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1095-8355
pISSN - 1065-6995
DOI - 10.1006/cbir.1998.0194
Subject(s) - aedes albopictus , methylmercury , cadmium , mercury (programming language) , biology , insect , cell culture , chemistry , aedes aegypti , botany , ecology , bioaccumulation , larva , genetics , organic chemistry , computer science , programming language
The effect of CdCl 2 (44μ m ), HgCl 2 (3.7μ m ), and MeHgCl (2μ m ) on the morphology of Aedes albopictus C6/36 cells was studied at the light microscopical level. Treatment times and metal concentrations were in the sublethal range as determined by a fluorometric dye exclusion test. The three metal species had profound effects on the cell morphology. MeHgCl treatment induced the development of a large number of short, actin‐supported, tangled filopodia. Both CdCl 2 and HgCl 2 induced long extensions. Pretreatment with colchicine but not with cyto‐chalasin B prevented formation of these extensions which suggests that they were supported by microtubules. This was confirmed by immunostaining for microtubules. The extensions were relatively stable towards colchicine post‐treatment. To authors’ knowledge, this effect has not yet been described for heavy metals. The similarity with 20‐hydroxyecdysone‐treated cells and the occurrence of cytoplasmic feet in insect cells is discussed.