Interactions between mercuric chloride and sodium selenite on cultured rat cerebrum.
Explants of rat cerebrum in culture were treated with toxic concentration of HgCl2 of 1 x 10(-4) M and with varying concentrations of sodium selenite. Treatment with sodium selenite resulted in a reduced neurotoxicity of HgCl2, a maximal effect being attained at a selenite concentration of 1 x 10(-5) M. However, 1 x 10(-5) M sodium selenite was itself toxic. In in vitro cell systems, the toxicity of either mercury or selenium is decreased in the presence of the other element.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D008628:Mercury / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D051381:Rats; D012643:Selenium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*
D008628:Mercury; D012643:Selenium