control
- overall monochromic liver tissue
- hepatocytes sizes range up to 10 µm
- hepatocyte cytoplasm stains mixed eosinophilic / basophilic with small chromophobic regions, indicating low glycogen storage volume
- capillary diameters adjusted to erythrocyte size
day 6 of exposure to 10 ng/L EE2
- hepatocyte cytomplasm becomes more intensely stained
- capillaries are dilated and filled with protein-rich plasm (eosinophilic)
day 12 of exposure to 10 ng/L EE2
- increased basophilic staining of hepatocytes, indicating increasing mRNA contents and (vitellogenin) synthesis activity
- further dilatation of capillaries (and other vessels)
day 24 of exposure to 10 ng/L EE2
- very intense basophilic staining of hepatocytes, indicating high mRNA contents and high (vitellogenin) synthesis activity
- further dilatation of capillaries (and other vessels) and intense eosinophilic plasm staining
adult male zebrafish, H&E (all images) day 24 postexposure (after 24 days to 10 ng/L EE2)
- full histologic recovery
- hepatocyte cytoplasm stains mixed eosinophilic / basophilic; this specimen shows relatively large chromophobic regions, indicating high glycogen storage volume
- capillary diameters returned to normal size
Reference
- van den Belt-K, Wester-PW, van der Ven-LTM, Verheyen-R, and Witters-H. Time-dependent effects of ethynylestradiol on the reproductive physiology in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 21:767-77; 2002.