The effect of starvation on the liver of Aphanius dispar (Pisces; Cyprinodontidae): A microscopic study

Abstract

Stress due to starvation is not an uncommon phenomenon in fresh-and brackish water fish living in arid environments. This study, a part of a larger investigation on the effects of stress due to starvation on the organ systems of Aphanius dispar, a cyprinodont fish in Oman, reports on the histopathological changes in the liver, using light and transmission electron microscopy. The hepatocytes showed structural and ultrastructural changes in response to 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours of starvation. The hepatocytes of the starved fish groups were characterized by a reduction in the size of their cells and their nuclei, chromatin condensation, loss of stored glycogen, large lipid droplets, wide intercellular spaces and the variable sizes of their mitochondria. Swirls of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) were seen in some of the starved fishes, which may indicate their involvement in lipid metabolism and the breakdown of glycogen. This paper makes a further contribution to the understanding of the physiology of fish in arid zones.