TESTICULAR ALTERATIONS IN RATS DUE TO GESTATIONAL AND EARLY LACTATIONAL ADMINISTRATION OF LEAD

A solution of lead acetate (300 mg/L) was administered via drinking wa ter to pregnant Wistar rats from day 1 of pregnancy to delivery (Ph-tr eated day 0 group) or throughout gestation and early lactation (from d ay 1 to day 5 postnatal) (Ph-treated day 5 group). When the pups were born, four dams and their offspring in each group (control day 0, Ph-t reated day 0, control day 5, and ph-treated day 5) were sacrificed on day 0 (day 0 groups) or on day 5 (day 5 groups). Relative testicular w eight and gross testicular structure were not altered by the treatment . The seminiferous tubule diameter and the number of prospermatogonia were reduced by the treatment. Determination of the n-ploidy stage of prospermatogonia indicates that these cells have more proliferative ac tivity in Ph-treated rats than in control rats. On the other hand, the total DNA, RNA, and protein content of the testes in treated rats was significantly reduced, but the DNA:RNA ratio remained unaltered.