Histopathology of the digestive gland of an Antarctic limpet exposed to cadmium

Abstract Histopathological alterations induced experimentally with cadmium (Cd) in Antarctic limpets ( Nacella concinna ), exposed for different times and concentrations were compared to controls. At the light microscope level, samples exposed to the contaminant for short periods (6, 12 and 24 h) at two different concentrations (0.25 and 0.5 mg l −1 ) showed no alterations compared to controls. After 48 h of exposure at a 0.5 mg l −1 Cd concentration, vacuolisation of the basophilic cells was observed. After 72 h exposure, there was a marked loss of all the digestive gland structure, with cell autolysis and loss of basophilia.