Comparative immunotoxicology - A new direction

Abstract

Increasing concentrations of xenobiotics in the environment, food and water supplies has direct or non-direct effects on the immunocompetent cell activity, cellular and humoral defence mechanisms and protection from diseases in animals and human. At this moment we must develop comparative aspects of immunotoxicology, justifying the use of invertebrates, amphibians and especially fish and reptiles, as models. The defence mechanism indices have been used in various laboratory and field experiments to analyze the influence of xenobiotics on the defence mechanisms and disease resistance of mammals, birds, amphibians and fish. Many of the standard immunological techniques have been modified for optimal results. In this paper we present the basic immunological techniques for study of the effects of xenobiotics on the cellular and humoral defence mechanisms in fish.