SOME ASPECTS OW NJNIPLASIA IN MARINE ANIMALS
167
Any netiology is usiiully mllltifi\ctorid but if one pitrt at least of the
Iwoblem (-mi tw solvcd t h i ~ ( W I oftmi Iwd to more fruitful lines of
investigut8ion.
It is oiily in the past 80 ycws that the niedical profession has
seriously considered the problems associated with the genetic basis of
pathological procesaes. In this instcince, the human geneticist has
lagged behind the plant and aninial geneticist. Tumours of pigment
cells, particulurly the melwomata and melanosarcomata, have proved
to be useful animal models in which to study the genetics of neoplastic
transformation. ‘I’hc works of Siciliano et nl. (1971) and Vielkind et al.
(197 I ) with sniiiller tropical freshwater tish, usually of the Xiphphorin
spp., are of grcut interest, although strictly out,side the remit of this
article.
Of particular ourrent interest is the breeding of disease-resistant fish,
or hybrids, which would offer great protein productivity or greater
game fishing potentiul. Although genetic and chromosomal manipulation or mutation are possible, it must be remembered that several
members of tnhc Sparidae are gcbnetically prone to tumour formations.
The geographical distribution of the papillomata in thc Pleuronectidae
on the West Coast of America could mean that there is a genetic pool,
which could represent a possiblc aetiology.
The intimutt. relutionship betwcwn the fish and its environment
makes water pollirt,ioii, ewpccially of coastal and estuarine waters, a
particiilur hi~zurd. Major oil slicks in the ocean (lo not present too much
of a h a m d cind w i i be simply uvoidcd by rnariy marine species. Of far
greater Iiuzard is the cxplonitiori of tho HW bed. At the present time the
North Sea is heing SIU ssfully t a p i d as (L source of natural pis and,
although geological surveys haw brcn tnntle, no attempt hw ycat been
made to produccx an interface bet>wctw the physiral and biological
sciences. The risks of‘ siting an oil rig in the centre of a breeding area of
an important economic species could ultimately destroy major fishing
grounds. This seems to be an inttmational problem which has not been
appreciated by N.A.T.O. or the I3.Fl.C’. The sinking of oil wells in the
middle of spawning grounds ot‘ fish of economic value could spell
disaster. There is also some anxiety concerning the sludge being pumped
out of these wells, for in association with the tides and winds potentially
toxic chemicals could reach coastal water#. These Rubstances, as yet
undefined, could well be potentially carcinogenic.. Brown et al. (1 $73)
gave Table 11 in relation to freshwater fish and, while the hazards to
marine fish are possibly iiot so grtsat, some attention should be paid to
them.
As the x t t i d y o f cwnparativc putho1og.y embrtwex as rrii~ny phyla,
167
Any netiology is usiiully mllltifi\ctorid but if one pitrt at least of the
Iwoblem (-mi tw solvcd t h i ~ ( W I oftmi Iwd to more fruitful lines of
investigut8ion.
It is oiily in the past 80 ycws that the niedical profession has
seriously considered the problems associated with the genetic basis of
pathological procesaes. In this instcince, the human geneticist has
lagged behind the plant and aninial geneticist. Tumours of pigment
cells, particulurly the melwomata and melanosarcomata, have proved
to be useful animal models in which to study the genetics of neoplastic
transformation. ‘I’hc works of Siciliano et nl. (1971) and Vielkind et al.
(197 I ) with sniiiller tropical freshwater tish, usually of the Xiphphorin
spp., are of grcut interest, although strictly out,side the remit of this
article.
Of particular ourrent interest is the breeding of disease-resistant fish,
or hybrids, which would offer great protein productivity or greater
game fishing potentiul. Although genetic and chromosomal manipulation or mutation are possible, it must be remembered that several
members of tnhc Sparidae are gcbnetically prone to tumour formations.
The geographical distribution of the papillomata in thc Pleuronectidae
on the West Coast of America could mean that there is a genetic pool,
which could represent a possiblc aetiology.
The intimutt. relutionship betwcwn the fish and its environment
makes water pollirt,ioii, ewpccially of coastal and estuarine waters, a
particiilur hi~zurd. Major oil slicks in the ocean (lo not present too much
of a h a m d cind w i i be simply uvoidcd by rnariy marine species. Of far
greater Iiuzard is the cxplonitiori of tho HW bed. At the present time the
North Sea is heing SIU ssfully t a p i d as (L source of natural pis and,
although geological surveys haw brcn tnntle, no attempt hw ycat been
made to produccx an interface bet>wctw the physiral and biological
sciences. The risks of‘ siting an oil rig in the centre of a breeding area of
an important economic species could ultimately destroy major fishing
grounds. This seems to be an inttmational problem which has not been
appreciated by N.A.T.O. or the I3.Fl.C’. The sinking of oil wells in the
middle of spawning grounds ot‘ fish of economic value could spell
disaster. There is also some anxiety concerning the sludge being pumped
out of these wells, for in association with the tides and winds potentially
toxic chemicals could reach coastal water#. These Rubstances, as yet
undefined, could well be potentially carcinogenic.. Brown et al. (1 $73)
gave Table 11 in relation to freshwater fish and, while the hazards to
marine fish are possibly iiot so grtsat, some attention should be paid to
them.
As the x t t i d y o f cwnparativc putho1og.y embrtwex as rrii~ny phyla,