<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Cadmium (Cd) is a common environmental pollutant present in soil and associated with many modern industrial processes. Cadmium may adversely influence the health of experimental animals and humans and exert significant effects on the reproductive tract morphology and physiology. During embryonic development, cadmium suppresses the normal growth and development of the ovaries, and in adults it disrupts the morphology and function of the ovaries and uterus. The exposure to cadmium has adverse effects on the oocyte meiotic maturation affecting the structure of ovarian tissue. The distribution of follicles and corpus luteum in the ovarian tissues has been shown to be disrupted, affecting the normal growth and development of the follicles. In the ovarian cortex, the number of follicles at different stages of maturation decreased, and the number of atretic follicles increased. In the medulla, oedema and ovarian haemorrhage and necrosis appears at higher doses. Granulosa cells exposed to cadmium exhibited morphological alterations. Oocyte development was inhibited and the amount of oocyte apoptosis was higher. Cadmium exposure also caused changes in the structure of the ovarian blood vessels with reduction in the vascular area. Cadmium effects included increased uterine weight, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the endometrial lining. Exposure to cadmium had specific effects on gonadal steroidogenesis by suppressing steroid biosynthesis of the ovarian granulosa cells and luteal cells. Progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone decreased significantly after CdCl<sub>2</sub> administration. Cadmium can suppress the female’s ovulation process and cause temporary infertility.</p>
</abstract>

Cadmium (Cd) is a common environmental pollutant present in soil and associated with many modern industrial processes. Cadmium may adversely influence the health of experimental animals and humans and exert significant effects on the reproductive tract morphology and physiology. During embryonic development, cadmium suppresses the normal growth and development of the ovaries, and in adults it disrupts the morphology and function of the ovaries and uterus. The exposure to cadmium has adverse effects on the oocyte meiotic maturation affecting the structure of ovarian tissue. The distribution of follicles and corpus luteum in the ovarian tissues has been shown to be disrupted, affecting the normal growth and development of the follicles. In the ovarian cortex, the number of follicles at different stages of maturation decreased, and the number of atretic follicles increased. In the medulla, oedema and ovarian haemorrhage and necrosis appears at higher doses. Granulosa cells exposed to cadmium exhibited morphological alterations. Oocyte development was inhibited and the amount of oocyte apoptosis was higher. Cadmium exposure also caused changes in the structure of the ovarian blood vessels with reduction in the vascular area. Cadmium effects included increased uterine weight, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the endometrial lining. Exposure to cadmium had specific effects on gonadal steroidogenesis by suppressing steroid biosynthesis of the ovarian granulosa cells and luteal cells. Progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone decreased significantly after CdCl2 administration. Cadmium can suppress the female’s ovulation process and cause temporary infertility.

Toxic Effects of Cadmium on the Female Reproductive Organs a Review

University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice

Folia Veterinaria

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Toxic Effects of Cadmium on the Female Reproductive Organs a Review"}

Cadmium (Cd) is a common environmental pollutant present in soil and associated with many modern industrial processes. Cadmium may adversely influence the...

Toxic Effects of Cadmium on the Female Reproductive Organs a Review

Published Online: Dec 30, 2022

Page range: 56 - 66

Received: Oct 06, 2022

Accepted: Nov 14, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fv-2022-0038

Keywords
cadmium, female, mammals, reproductive organs

© 2022 Maretta M. et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Toxic Effects of Cadmium on the Female Reproductive Organs a Review

Published Online: Dec 30, 2022

Page range: 56 - 66

Received: Oct 06, 2022

Accepted: Nov 14, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fv-2022-0038

Keywordscadmium, female, mammals, reproductive organs

© 2022 Maretta M. et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
cadmium, female, mammals, reproductive organs