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Effects of sublethal concentrations of potassium dichromate on the occurrence of splenic melano‐macrophage centres in juvenile plaice, Pleuronectes platessa , L.
Author(s) -
Kranz H.,
Gercken J.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1987.tb05296.x
Subject(s) - potassium dichromate , spleen , biology , pleuronectes , macrophage , juvenile , potassium , melanin , endocrinology , medicine , immunology , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology , chemistry , biochemistry , fishery , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , in vitro
Plaice were exposed to 0.5 and 2.0 ppm potassium dichromate (K 2 Cr 2 O 7 ) concentrations for 27 days. In both water concentrations chromium was accumulated up to a level of 400 ppb in the carcass of the fish. At the same time the number of splenic melano‐macrophage centres (MMC) tripled, whereas their average size was reduced to one third. The percentage area of MMC in the splenic tissue remained unchanged. Histological alterations following exposure to K 2 Cr 2 O 7 included increases both in melanin content of the MMC and in the number of melanin‐containing cells within blood vessels; also, the splenic ellipsoids became less clearly demarcated. Splenic melano‐macrophages show a decreased ability to aggregate to form large MMC under the influence of K 2 Cr 2 O 7 , which leads to the assumption that the turnover rate of macrophage settlement in, and macrophage elimination from, the spleen is increased.