title: Effects of cadmium exposure on glycogen phosphorylase activity in rat placenta as demonstrated by histochemical means.
abstract: Glycogen phosphorylase (PHO) activity was demonstrated histochemically in unfixed cryostat sections of placentae from cadmium-treated and control rats with the use of the semipermeable membrane technique. Staining of the newly synthesized glycogen was performed by lugol. A high activity was present in glycogen cells, spongiotrophoblast and visceral yolk sac from cadmium-treated and control animals. A low but distinct activity could be demonstrated in placental labyrinth from control rats in late pregnancy. Cadmium-exposed rats showed a considerably higher activity in the labyrinth during this period of pregnancy. The elevated PHO activity and concomitant higher glycogen content indicate a disturbance by exposure to cadmium of placental carbohydrate metabolism from day 18 onwards.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, University of Amsterdam, Academic Medical Centre, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hazelhoff Roelfzema
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hacker
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Van Noorden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D006005:Phosphorylases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D006005:Phosphorylases