Premium
The pericardial glands of the zebra mussel: Ultrastructure and implication in lead detoxication process
Author(s) -
Giamberini Laure,
Pihan JeanClaude
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
biology of the cell
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.543
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1768-322X
pISSN - 0248-4900
DOI - 10.1111/j.1768-322x.1996.tb00956.x
Subject(s) - biology , ultrastructure , basal lamina , dreissena , microbiology and biotechnology , detoxication , mussel , organelle , anatomy , mollusca , bivalvia , biochemistry , zoology , ecology , enzyme
Summary— Ultrastructural and microanalytical investigations of the pericardial gland of the freshwater mussel, Dreissena polymorpha have been performed to investigate the possible functional role of this organ in the detoxication process of lead. The cell‐type of this organ exhibits the feature characteristics of podocytes, ie the typical pedicel‐basal lamina complex and the well developed lysosomalvacuolar system. X‐ray microanalysis demonstrated that large electron‐dense granules referred to as lysosomes are the main target organelles in these cells to accumulate and sequestrate lead where the metal was associated with phosphorus and sulphur. Consequently, the pericardial gland plays an important role in the detoxication process and allows the organism to tolerate high lead concentration without suffering severe cell injury.