Detection of phenol-induced subcellular alteration by electron microscopy in the liver and panceres of carp.

A sublethal dose (5 mg L(-1)) of phenol was applied in the experiment. Liver and pancreas samples were taken at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr for electron microscopy. The following alterations were manifested during the experiment: amitosis, irregular nuclear forms, decrease of chromatin, nucleolar segregation and numerous phagosomes and autophagic vacuoles in the cytoplasm. After 72 hr, large empty vacuoles also developed in the cells. The rEr was often dilated, and the accumulation of paraprotein crystals in their lumen was also common. All these alterations prove the serious cytopathological effects of phenol on the metabolism of parenchymal cells.