This study describes the concentrations of heavy metals and arsenic (As) and the basic histopathological changes in the internal organs of gibel carp Carassius auratus gibelio from five sites of the Amur River basin. Gibel carp from Sindinskaya Passage had the highest liver concentrations of zinc (Zn) (31.95 ± 13.443), copper (Cu) (12.52 ± 5.746), manganese (9.22 ± 8.121), and cadmium (0.37 ± 0.660 mg/kg wet weight [ww]) compared with fish captured from the Bol'shoi Ussuriiskii Island area and Kadi Lake; however, concentrations of nickel (0.22 ± 0.156 mg/kg ww) were not significantly different, and concentrations of lead (0.19 ± 0.121 mg/kg ww) were higher than those in fish from Kadi Lake. Mean concentrations of metals and As in muscles were lower than Russia's recommended limits for food products; however, concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Hg in individual fish were greater than the limit. Kidney disease was detected in 100% of sampled carp. Kidney disease was characterized by the formation of numerous granulomas in kidney tissues between the renal tubules. The degree of granulomatosis varied among sites. Granulomatous kidney disease in gibel carp is widespread in many reservoirs of the lower Amur River basin. The following histopathological changes were detected in liver: vacuolization of hepatocytes, hypertrophy of multiple hepatocytes, binuclearity, presence of numerous irregularly shaped nuclei in hepatocytes, karyopyknosis, diffuse necrosis of hepatocytes (in some cases focal), and edema. Necrotic changes in hepatocytes, which are important indices of the toxic effect of pollutants, were found in the majority of investigated carp from the lower Amur River basin. Some fish had simultaneous pathological alterations in multiple organs.

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Vitellogenin (Vg) of the barfin plaice Liopsetta pinnifasciata was isolated and purified. In native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Vg appeared as one band. After being subjected to sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), Vg fraction produced several polypeptides with molecular masses of 180, 98, 70, 52, 41 and 37 kDa. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) of the 180- and 98-kDa Vg polypeptides from the SDS-PAGE gel and de novo sequencing of their four peptide fragments based on MS/MS analysis confirmed that the purified proteins were vitellogenins, which shared high similarity with the Vgs of the barfin flounder Verasper moseri and Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus. The most part of the predicted sequences obtained from the L. pinnifasciata 180-kDa polypeptide has previously been found in the V. moseri vitellogenin type B, the sequences obtained from the 98-kDa polypeptide were found in V. moseri vitellogenin type A, so these findings allow us to propose that L. pinnifasciata has at least two different forms of Vg. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies against Vg were produced, and a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed. The concentration of Vg in barfin plaice from the moderately contaminated area of Amursky Bay in the Sea of Japan was detected based on the maturity stage of their gonads. In November 2008, the Vg concentration in the plasma of females with advanced oogenesis varied from 5.295 to 28.367 mg/ml (mean 16.38 ± 6.73 mg/ml, CV = 41.1%); in the plasma of males, the concentration ranged from non-detectable to 0.957 mg/ml (0.29 ± 0.42 mg/ml, CV = 127.9%). In October 2009, the Vg concentration in female plasma was lower than in November 2008 (2.21-13.87 mg/ml). High individual variability of plasma Vg was characteristic for maturing males (CV = 200.3%) and immature females (CV = 255.5%), and there was no significant difference between plasma Vg concentrations in males captured in November 2008 and October 2009 or in maturing males and immature females. Vacuolisation of hepatocytes was more typical for males with low plasma Vg concentrations and females with high plasma Vg concentrations. Necrosis and pyknosis of hepatocyte nuclei were more frequent in males with high Vg concentrations and in females with low plasma Vg concentrations.

The morphology of gonads and development of offspring of the scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis sampled from six stations in Peter the Great Bay (Sea of Japan) were studied. The retardation of gametogenesis, oocytes resorption, autolysis of spermatozoa and their phagocytosis were observed in the gonads of the scallops from polluted sites. The number of hermaphrodites was about 6% against 0.3-0.4% in the scallop populations from clean areas. In the offspring development, a decrease in fertilisation success, diminution in percent of normal trochophores, Dveligers, veligers, and retardation oflarval growth were recorded. The scallop popUlations inhabiting polluted areas of Peter the Great Bay seem to be incapable of normal reproduction. Development of offspring was a more sensitive index of disturbance of the reproductive function than morphology of scallop gonads. Analysis of the offspring development of common species of marine invertebrates is suggested to be used as a sensitive indicator of adverse environmental conditions.

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