title: Reduced decomposition and faecal excretion of methyl mercury in caecum-resected mice.
abstract: Decomposition and faecal excretion of methyl mercury in caecum-resected mice was investigated in order to elucidate the role of the caecum in metabolizing methyl mercury. During a four-day period after methyl mercury administration, the caecum-resected mice excreted less inorganic mercury in the faeces than did sham-operated control mice (3.4% and 11.5% of the administered dose, respectively). Furthermore, the amount of total mercury excreted in the faeces was also smaller in the caecum-resected mice than in the control mice (9.3% and 19.3%, respectively). These data indicate that the caecum is important in the decomposition and faecal excretion of methyl mercury in mice.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002432:Cecum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D008628:Mercury