Oxidative Stress Responses in Aquatic Crustaceans
Summary
Aquatic crustaceans—from shrimps and prawns to crabs and crayfish—are continually challenged by reactive oxygen species generated through aerobic metabolism and exacerbated by environmental stressors such as temperature extremes, hypoxia, pollutants and handling during transport. To preserve redox homeostasis, these organisms deploy a coordinated antioxidant defence comprising enzymatic systems (notably superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) and non-enzymatic scavengers (e.g. glutathione, vitamin E). Under mild stress, upregulation of antioxidant enzymes limits lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, whereas severe or prolonged challenges overwhelm defences, leading to cellular damage, apoptosis and impaired immune function. Physiological adjustments often coincide with transcriptional and metabolic reprogramming in key tissues such as the hepatopancreas and gills. Understanding these responses has global significance for aquaculture resilience, environmental monitoring and the sustainable management of wild stocks, as oxidative stress markers can serve both as indicators of health status and as targets for nutritional or husbandry interventions.
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Oxidative Stress Responses in Aquatic Crustaceans publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in oxidative stress responses in aquatic crustaceans across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Oxidative stress: Imbalance between pro-oxidant species and antioxidant defences causing cellular damage.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules derived from oxygen, including free radicals and peroxides.
Antioxidant enzymes: Proteins such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase that neutralise ROS.
Lipid peroxidation: Oxidative degradation of lipids leading to membrane damage and formation of reactive aldehydes.
References
- Effects of Prometryn Exposure on Hepatopancreas Oxidative Stress and Intestinal Flora in Eriocheir sinensis (Crustacea: Decapoda). Antioxidants (2023).
- Effect of Air Exposure and Re-Submersion on the Histological Structure, Antioxidant Response, and Gene Expression of Procambarus Clarkii. Animals (2023).
- Effects of Cold Stress on the Hemolymph of the Pacific White Shrimp Penaeus vannamei. Fishes (2024).
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