Figures & data
Figure 1. Adverse effects of cadmium on the testis assessed by histological analysis. Rats (~300 g b.w.) were treated with a single dose of cadmium chloride (suspended in 0.9% saline) at 3 mg/kg b.w. via intraperitoneal injection (i.p.). Thereafter, rats in groups of n = 3 were terminated at 6, 24, and 48 h. Paraffin sections of sections were stained by hematoxylin and eosin for histological analysis. It is noted that by 24 h post treatment, germ cells were found to detach from the basement membrane in the tunica propria; and by 48 h, virtually all elongating/elongated and round spermatids, as well as spermatocytes were found in the tubule lumen in > 98% of the tubules. Bar = 100 μm in top panel, which applies to all other micrographs.
Figure 2. A schematic drawing illustrating cross-talks between adipose tissue, skeleton, and the testis that maintain the male reproductive function. As described in text, osteocalcin released from osteoblasts in bones can regulate steroidogenesis, which can be impeded by environmental toxicants. Environmental toxicants can exert their effects on the cross-talks of skeleton-testis, adipose tissue-testis, adipose-skeleton and bone-Leyig cells. This, in turn, perturbs blood-testis barrier (BTB) function, germ cell apoptosis, germ cell adhesion, and steroidogenesis via changes in mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, oxidative stress, and others.
