Environmental quality analysis is essential for human well-being and health. A way to measure environmental condition is the use of bio-indicators, i.e. species or communities of animals, plants and other living organisms. The main actors in this study are terrestrial Isopods, in particular the species Armadillidium vulgare, having been recognised as bio-indicators by numerous studies (1, 2). The hepatopancreas of the Isopods is considered one of the main organs of contaminant accumulation (3). Our study highlights it is possible to investigate A. vulgare hepatopancreatic cells by Flow cytometry (FC): through this approach we aim to construct an index of environmental quality able to provide information to monitor and prevent possible environmental risk. Isopod samples, collected from sites with different levels of environmental stress (Clean, Moderate and Severe Pollution/Stress), were employed for hepatopancreas extraction and disaggregation to obtain a cell suspension for cytometric evaluation. After tissue disaggregation, the cell suspensions were labelled with cell function-specific dyes (e.g. CFDA/PI, SYBR Green I, Leadmium Green AM, MitoSOX). Two hepatopancreatic cell types, Small (S) and Big (B), were still recognizable: they differ in morphology and behaviour. Significant differences in cell functional parameters were found, highlighting that Isopod hepatopancreatic cells can be efficiently analysed by FC and represent standardisable, early biologic indicators, tracing environmental-induced stress through cytologic/histologic analyses. Our results highlight that FC findings display sensibility and specificity to identify samples from environmental-stressed sites, indeed this is a confirmation for A. vulgare’s ability to respond to environmental stress.

Isopods as efficient Ecosystem Bioindicators: Flow cytometric analysis of hepatopancreatic cells from Armadillidium vulgare

Panza G.;Montanari M.;Lopez D.;Burattini S.;Ciacci C.;Ortolani C.;Valentini L.;Gobbi P.;Santolini R.;Canonico B.
2024

Abstract

Environmental quality analysis is essential for human well-being and health. A way to measure environmental condition is the use of bio-indicators, i.e. species or communities of animals, plants and other living organisms. The main actors in this study are terrestrial Isopods, in particular the species Armadillidium vulgare, having been recognised as bio-indicators by numerous studies (1, 2). The hepatopancreas of the Isopods is considered one of the main organs of contaminant accumulation (3). Our study highlights it is possible to investigate A. vulgare hepatopancreatic cells by Flow cytometry (FC): through this approach we aim to construct an index of environmental quality able to provide information to monitor and prevent possible environmental risk. Isopod samples, collected from sites with different levels of environmental stress (Clean, Moderate and Severe Pollution/Stress), were employed for hepatopancreas extraction and disaggregation to obtain a cell suspension for cytometric evaluation. After tissue disaggregation, the cell suspensions were labelled with cell function-specific dyes (e.g. CFDA/PI, SYBR Green I, Leadmium Green AM, MitoSOX). Two hepatopancreatic cell types, Small (S) and Big (B), were still recognizable: they differ in morphology and behaviour. Significant differences in cell functional parameters were found, highlighting that Isopod hepatopancreatic cells can be efficiently analysed by FC and represent standardisable, early biologic indicators, tracing environmental-induced stress through cytologic/histologic analyses. Our results highlight that FC findings display sensibility and specificity to identify samples from environmental-stressed sites, indeed this is a confirmation for A. vulgare’s ability to respond to environmental stress.
2024
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11576/2750971
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