Studies on the toxic effect of cadmium in the rat. I. Testicular changes induced by a single subcutaneous injection of cadmium chloride.
Adult male rats of Wistar strain were subcutaneously injected with a single dose of 0.025 mM CdCl2/kg body weight. The autopsies were performed 2 and 12 weeks post cadmium injection. Experimental animals showed a normal gain of body weight while a marked lowering of the testes weight was observed. The lowering of testes weight of cadmium treated rats occured mainly due to the necrosis of seminiferous tubules, volume of which is markedly lower if compared to intact control rats. After 2 weeks of experiment a marked enlargement of the interstitial gland of the testis occured while after 12 weeks the gland is markedly lower if compared to control rats and to rats studied 2 weeks post cadmium injection. Histochemical reactions for lactic, succinic, alpha-glycerophosphate and 3beta-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenases, NADH tetrazolium reductase, acid phosphatase and nonspecific esterases showed for irreversible necrotic changes of seminiferous tubules of cadmium treated rats while the damage to interstitial gland is only temporary.
D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
D002104:Cadmium