Biological effects of contaminants: Use of liver pathology of the European flatfish dab (Limanda limanda L.) and flounder (Platichthys flesus L.) for monitoring

This publication provides quality assurance guidelines for the use of liver pathology of flatfish in biological effects of contaminants monitoring programmes. Information on the sampling procedures, including macroscopic examination, and minimum numbers and size categories of fish required to provide statistical rigour, is included. Details for laboratory processing and staining methods for histological assessment are also given, including protocols for resin embedding. Criteria for the histopathological diagnosis of liver sections are provided under categories on “early non-neoplastic toxicopathic lesions”, “foci of cellular alteration”, “benign neoplasms”, and “malignant neoplasms”, and descriptions of the normal appearance of liver tissue from dab (Limanda limanda) and flounder (Platichthys flesus) are included. More specific criteria are given for the different lesion types occurring in each of these categories. Each lesion type is represented by one or more colour micrographs taken from haematoxylin and eosinstained sections to depict the key features. A diagnostic key for nodular hepatocellular lesions is included and sections on quality assurance, data treatment, and data submission are also provided.