Fish embryos possess mechanism for protection against chemicals
Tuesday, September 3, 2013 - 06:30
in Biology & Nature
Fish possess a number of different mechanisms for protection against harmful substances in an aquatic environment. These include, for example, molecular transport systems, such as the so called ABC (ATP binding cassette) transporters, which prevent the penetration of toxic substances into cells. ABC transporters have been well investigated for mammals. For fish and their embryos, however, little is known about such transporters. Ecotoxicologists Dr. Till Luckenbach (UFZ) and Dr. Stephan Fischer (Eawag) together with other colleagues have now found that the transport protein Abcb4 actively extrudes chemicals from the embryo of the zebrafish (Danio rerio).