In molluscs

Matthiessen, P. and Gibbs, PE. (1998). Critical Appraisal of the Evidence for TBT-Mediated Endocrine Disruption in Molluscs—A concise review of effects of TBT on molluscs. Scheuhammer, A.M and Sandheimich, M.B (Eds.) (2008). Special issue of the journal Ecotoxicology devoted to effects of methyl mercury on wildlife, which gives recent results of field studies conducted in North America. 

Matthiessen, P. and Gibbs, P.E. (1998). Critical appraisal of the evidence for TBT-mediated endocrine disruption in molluscs. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 17, 31-A3. 

Mollusca and Arthropoda. A variety of pharmacological actions are induced by the toxins found in molluscs (17). For example, surugatoxin is a potent mydriatic (5J), ganglion blocker (84), and a potent hypotensive agent in cats. 

Occurrence in molluscs of steroidogenesis along a pathway very similar to that found in vertebrates has been claimed. Testosterone (64) - androstenedione (65) interconversion has been demonstrated in gonads of the male and female bivalve - Mytilus edulis [117] and of the gastropod Crepidula fornicata [118], by using labelled testosterone and androstenedione. Moreover, several steroids have been identified in the gonads and hepatopancreas of the opisthobranch... 

The presence in molluscs of molecules structurally related to typical dietary metabolites could be ascribed either to selective accumulation of minor compounds acquired through the diet, or to an in vivo chemical transformation of major metabolites acquired from the prey. However, all reports on this topic have to be carefully evaluated before drawing hurried conclusions. In particular, interaction among molecules from different organs could favor formation of artifacts when the secondary metabolites are extracted from the whole mollusc and not from individual dissected tissues. Only some cases, where the ability of the molluscs to modify dietary metabolites seems to be well supported, are reported in this chapter. 

Faulkner DJ (1988) Feeding deterrents in molluscs. In Fautin DG(ed) Biomedical importance of marine organisms, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, p 29... 

Claisse D, CossaD, Bretaudeau-Sanjuan J, TouchardG, Bombled B (2001) Methylmercury in molluscs along the French coast. Mar Pollut Bull 42 329-332... 

Detected in molluscs and wild fish in Norway 189-285 mg L 1 in sediments in fish farming [26]... 

Figure 5. Digestion strategies in molluscs. Modified from [68] Decho, A. W. and Luoma, S. N. (1996) Flexible digestion strategies and trace metal assimilation in marine bivalves in Limnol. Oceanogr., 41, 568-572. Reproduced with permission...

Invertebrates (crustacea and molluscs) readily accumulate hydrocarbons when exposed for more than a few hours through surrounding water. In crustacea, thoracic and abdominal sections (21,22), gills (22,23), stomach (22, 23), hepatopancreas (23), muscle (23), gonad (23), and blood (23j are sites of hydrocarbon accumulation. In molluscs, gills (24,25), adductor muscle (24, 25), viscera (25), mantle (24,25), and foot (25) are tissues in which hydrocarbons were identified in challenged organisms. 

Evidence tom a variety of sources indicates that the active site of tyrosinase is very similar to that of hemocyanin, a dioxygen-binding protein found in molluscs and arthropods (15,16). This type of active site contains two copper ions, which are cuprous in the deoxy state, and which reversibly bind dioxygen, forming the oxy form of the enzyme or protein in which a peroxy ligand bridges between two cupric ions. 

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