Biological Sciences

Endocrine Disruption

Since the early 1990s scientists have been concerned that a variety of chemicals released into the environment can cause effects of the endocrine systems of wildlife. The chemicals have been called "endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)". The endocrine system controls many aspects of an organism’s biology including growth, reproduction, metabolism and development. Research at University of Portsmouth’s Langstone Harbour marine laboratories currently focuses on how EDCs impact on marine species, specifically Crustacea (Drs Alex Ford & Colin Waring), Polychaetes (Dr Gordon Watson) and fish (Dr Colin Waring).

Research addresses the effects of EDCs at all levels of biological organisation including:

1. Cellular & Genomic Biomarkers
   
   Research at Langstone Marine Laboratories utilises numerous techniques to differentiate contaminant exposure and their effects using biomarkers at the cellular and molecular level.
   
   Microarray analysis of normal and intersex amphipods (in collaboration with Dr Peter Kille, School of Biosciences, University of Cardiff)


2. Histology
   
   The marine labs has a dedicated histology laboratory with access to scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy, as well as fluorescence and confocal microscopy techniques.
   
   Histological aberrations in crustacean gonadal tissues


3. Reproduction & Embryology
   
   IMS utilise both a variety of bioassays to assess the effects of contaminants on reproductive endpoints and embryonic development.
   
   Embryonic development in marine invertebrates/Sperm counts and fertility in marine invertebrates


4. Morphometrics
   
   Comparative analyses of the morphology of an organism can sometimes indicate exposure to contaminants during critical periods of their development. Current work utilises image analysis techniques and multivariate statistics to try and differentiate pollutant exposed organisms.


5. Population modelling
   
   One of the ultimate aims of ecotoxicology is the protection of the environment, through mathematical modelling the impacts of contaminants at the cellular and individual levels can be extrapolated through to the population level. Research by Dr Ford and collaboration with colleagues at the University of Coimbra, Portugal (Dr Irene Martins) are currently trying to predict the impacts of endocrine disruption and infertility in marine Crustacea.
   
   Ten year simulation of amphipod populations with intersexuality (Ford et al., 2007. Sci Tot Environ)