Immune, Reproductive and Histologic Biomarker Evaluation in Fish Collected for the Columbia and Rio Grande River Basin BEST Program, 1997

The BEST program incorporates both analytical chemistry arid a suite of biological responses to describe and track contaminant exposure and effects. Our part of this program is to measure and evaluate selected histologic, immunological and reproductive biomarkers.

Our objectives are: to document the presence of selected histologic lesions which have been validated or widely accepted as indicators of contaminant exposure; to determine if there is evidence of immunosuppression using immune system biomarkers; evaluate gonad histology utilizing new potential biomarkers; determine if changes in gonad histology correlate with circulating vitellogenin levels; determine if these findings correlate with contaminant presence or concentration.