EFFECTS OF MERCURIC CHLORIDE ON MALE REPRODUCTION

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中利用 资源由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目和 调查员(PI)可能从NIH的另一个来源获得了主要资金， 并因此可以在其他清晰的条目中表示。列出的机构是 该中心不一定是调查人员的机构。 本研究的目的是研究摄入氯化汞(MC)对雌性大鼠生育率的影响，包括(1)存活胎数，(2)植入数，(3)黄体数。102日龄雌性大鼠分别给予MC(治疗组)2.5 mg/kg/d或去离子水(对照组)灌胃60d。然后，它们与70至80天的未经处理的雄性(2只雌性对1只雄性)交配17天。通过体重增加确认怀孕。在确认怀孕后，所有女性都被实施安乐死，并检查两侧的存活胎儿数量、植入物和黄体。汞处理导致平均胚胎数(对照组为6.9比12.4)和植入数(对照组为10.5比12.8)降低；然而，只有在胎儿的情况下这种下降是显著的(P<0.05)。相反，治疗组和对照组之间的黄体库数量没有差异(14.9对14.8)。因此，假设汞导致的胎儿数量减少是在植入后阶段造成的；可能是由于子宫功能障碍，无法为胎儿的发育提供适当的环境，或者是因为汞对胎儿的直接攻击，或者两者兼而有之。进一步假设汞摄取不会影响排卵，因为黄体数量(卵子释放数量的指标)在治疗组和对照组之间没有差别。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The objective of this study was to investigate effects of mercuric chloride (MC) ingestion on the fertility rate of female rats including (1) the number of viable fetuses, (2) the number of implantations, and (3) the number of corpora lutea. Female rats, 102 days of age, were treated with 2.5 mg/kg/day of MC (treatment group) or de-ionized water (control group) for a period of 60 days. They were then mated with 70 to 80-day-old untreated males (2 females to 1 male) for 17 days. Pregnancy was confirmed by weight increase. Upon confirmation of pregnancy, all females were euthanized and examined for the number of viable fetuses, implantations, and corpora lutea in both sides. The mercury treatment resulted in lowering the mean number of fetuses (6.9 vs 12.4 in controls) and implantations (10.5 vs 12.8 in controls); however, the decrease was significant (P less than 0.05) only in the case of fetuses. Conversely, the number of corpora lutea was not different between the treated and control groups (14.9 vs 14.8 in controls). Hence, it is hypothesized that the mercury-induced reduction in the number of fetuses resulted at a post-implantation stage; probably from a malfunction of the uterus so that it could not provide a proper environment for the development of the fetus, or from a direct assault of mercury on the fetus, or both. It is further hypothesized that mercury ingestion did not affect ovulation since the number of corpora lutea (indicator for the number of ova released) was not different between the treated and control groups.