D. Kaushal et al., CELL-KINETICS OF THE RAT SEMINIFEROUS EPITHELIUM FOLLOWING LEAD ACETATE TREATMENT, The Journal of trace elements in experimental medicine, 9(2), 1996, pp. 47-56
The present studies are related to the effects of oral administration
of lead acetate on rat spermatogenesis. In addition to the observation
s of greatly inhibited sperm motility and a reduced sperm count in the
lead acetate-fed rats, as obtained in our earlier studies [Leblond et
al.: Physiol Rev 52:198-236, 1972], it was considered important to st
udy the cell kinetics in the seminiferous epithelium, a site for the g
eneration of sperm. Lead-induced shrinkage of the seminiferous tubules
was observed with a significant decrease in tubular diameter and germ
inal height. An overall decrease in all cell types was seen with maxim
um lead acetate effects on the fully mature spermatids. A ratio betwee
n the number of cells at various sequential stages was also determined
. The ratios of the young spermatids to the pachytene spermatocytes an
d the mature spermatids to young spermatids were significantly low in
the different lead-treated groups. Some depression of spermatogenesis
at the young spermatid stage was observed at higher lead acetate doses
. However, the arrest of spermatid maturation at the lowest dose of le
ad was complete. The maximum toxicity at the lowest dose of lead proba
bly relates to the bioavailability of lead, which may be checked by th
e induction of lead-binding proteins as the higher lead levels. (C) 19
96 Wiley-Liss, Inc.