About this Research Topic
The harmful effects of environmental contaminants to aquatic fauna, both wild and cultured, comprise a research area that has merited great attention during the last decades. Practically all animal taxa have been reported to be affected by a wide spectrum of aquatic pollutants, both from monitory field programs and from laboratory bioassays. Pollutants are able to affect the performance of aquatic species in several ways, depending on their mode of action. From an ecotoxicological point of view, reproduction is a critical step to ensure the survival of any species. At the same time, it has been shown to be a process that is very susceptible to the effects of several kinds of pollutants. Authors researching any aspect of reproductive physiology, including the morphological or developmental aspects underlying the physiological control of the reproduction of aquatic species, are welcome to contribute to this research topic.
Reproduction of any aquatic species is a complex biological process that involves multiple pathways of physiological regulation. Pollutants can interfere at several points of such physiological control, either in a
more direct way, e.g. by acting as endocrine disruptors, or indirectly, by affecting other variables and/or structures needed to achieve a successful reproduction, such as the levels of energy reserves or the
integrity of reproductive organs. The knowledge about which processes and structures are specifically affected by any kind of pollutant, in both invertebrate and vertebrate aquatic species, is a first step for the environmental control of pollution. Integrative studies on the effects of pollutants at several levels (molecular, tissular, organismic) have shown to be particularly useful in understanding the risk posed by pollutant exposure to aquatic species, particularly concerning a critical process such as reproduction.
This research topic will cover the following kinds of studies, for any aquatic animal species, and any environmental pollutant:
-Mechanistic studies concerning the effect of pollutants on any step of the endocrine control of reproduction, for instance, the interference of pollutants on gene expression, enzymes related to hormonal synthesis, hormone secretion, and hormone transductional pathways, among other processes.
-Histopathological studies related to reproductive organs whose integrity is essential to warrant an efficient function and needed to achieve successful reproduction.
-Studies focused at a systemic level, measuring variables such as reproductive output, quality of progeny, and biomarkers of stress, as long as they involve any kind of physiological control. Both in vivo and in vitro studies are welcome.
Any study that includes other topics could be eventually considered by the editors.
Reproduction of any aquatic species is a complex biological process that involves multiple pathways of physiological regulation. Pollutants can interfere at several points of such physiological control, either in a
more direct way, e.g. by acting as endocrine disruptors, or indirectly, by affecting other variables and/or structures needed to achieve a successful reproduction, such as the levels of energy reserves or the
integrity of reproductive organs. The knowledge about which processes and structures are specifically affected by any kind of pollutant, in both invertebrate and vertebrate aquatic species, is a first step for the environmental control of pollution. Integrative studies on the effects of pollutants at several levels (molecular, tissular, organismic) have shown to be particularly useful in understanding the risk posed by pollutant exposure to aquatic species, particularly concerning a critical process such as reproduction.
This research topic will cover the following kinds of studies, for any aquatic animal species, and any environmental pollutant:
-Mechanistic studies concerning the effect of pollutants on any step of the endocrine control of reproduction, for instance, the interference of pollutants on gene expression, enzymes related to hormonal synthesis, hormone secretion, and hormone transductional pathways, among other processes.
-Histopathological studies related to reproductive organs whose integrity is essential to warrant an efficient function and needed to achieve successful reproduction.
-Studies focused at a systemic level, measuring variables such as reproductive output, quality of progeny, and biomarkers of stress, as long as they involve any kind of physiological control. Both in vivo and in vitro studies are welcome.
Any study that includes other topics could be eventually considered by the editors.
Keywords: Reproduction, Aquatic Animals, Pollutants, Hormones, Endocrine Disruptors
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
