Techniques for demonstrating radiation pathology in aquatic organisms including histology and autoradiography

Laboratory research carried out under well-designed conditions can produce reproducible results. However, if there is any variation in the experimental conditions including physical, chemical and biological factors, it may be difficult to compare the results obtained in different laboratories. The factors affecting the manifestation of radiation pathology are specially emphasized here. Radiation effects on fish and aquatic invertebrates are also described briefly. Almost all techniques developed for radiobiological research in mammals and cultured cells can be applied to research into aquatic organisms. Histopathological examination of fish should focus on the observation of the cell-renewal systems at appropriate time intervals after irradiation. Some techniques for demonstrating radiation pathology including histology and autoradiography in aquatic organisms, especially in fish, are illustrated with examples. (author)