Ultrastructural evidence for foetal liver injury induced by in utero exposure to small doses of methylmercury

THE ability of organomercury compounds, particularly methylmercury, to concentrate in tissues of fish and other animals at levels which are toxic for human consumption, is of increasing environmental concern 1–3 . The propensity for mercury compounds to induce morphological, biochemical and enzymatic alterations in the kidneys and the central nervous system is well known 4–8 . Because the liver has been shown to accumulate a large fraction of mercury after administration of methylmercury, it should also be considered a target organ of methylmercury toxicity 9 . Hepatic injury and changes in several hepatic enzyme systems have been reported 10 .