Studies on the dominant-lethal and fertility effects of the heavy metal compounds methylmercuric hydroxide, mercuric chloride, and cadmium chloride in male and female mice. 1975

K E Suter

Dominant-lethal effects of 10 mg/kg methylmercuric hydroxide were studied in male mice from two hybrid stocks and in females from one of these stocks. Two other compounds, mercuric chloride (2 mg/kg) and cadmium chloride (2 mg/kh), were studied only in females for dominant-lethal (in one hybrid stock) and reproductive capacity effects (in two hybrid and one mixed stocks). All compounds were administered in a single intraperitoneal injection. When males of one of the two stocks studied were treated with methylmercuric hydroxide, the females to which they were mated exhibited a slight reduction in the total number of implantations and in the number of living embryos. These reductions were accompanied by a very small increase in the incidence of dead implantations. In females, cadmium chloride had no detectable dominant-lethal or other fertility effects, except superovulation. On the other hand, the two mercury compounds slightly reduced the numbers of implants and living embryos in females subjected to dominant-lethal studies. The two mercury compounds also induced a slight reduction in that long-term reproductive performance of one stock of females. These results and those reported earlier by others, indicate that the mercury compounds studied so far are not potent inducers of dominant-lethal mutations in male and female mice. It is not clear whether the small effects on male or female fertility induced in some cases, particularly the increase in dead implantations and reductions in the number of living embryos, were attributable to dominant-lethal mutations or to nongenetic causes.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008098 Litter Size The number of offspring produced at one birth by a viviparous animal. Litter Sizes,Size, Litter,Sizes, Litter
D008297 Male Males
D008628 Mercury A silver metallic element that exists as a liquid at room temperature. It has the atomic symbol Hg (from hydrargyrum, liquid silver), atomic number 80, and atomic weight 200.59. Mercury is used in many industrial applications and its salts have been employed therapeutically as purgatives, antisyphilitics, disinfectants, and astringents. It can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes which leads to MERCURY POISONING. Because of its toxicity, the clinical use of mercury and mercurials is diminishing.
D008767 Methylmercury Compounds Organic compounds in which mercury is attached to a methyl group. Methyl Mercury Compounds,Compounds, Methyl Mercury,Compounds, Methylmercury,Mercury Compounds, Methyl
D009153 Mutagens Chemical agents that increase the rate of genetic mutation by interfering with the function of nucleic acids. A clastogen is a specific mutagen that causes breaks in chromosomes. Clastogen,Clastogens,Genotoxin,Genotoxins,Mutagen
D009154 Mutation Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations. Mutations
D010064 Embryo Implantation Endometrial implantation of EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN at the BLASTOCYST stage. Blastocyst Implantation,Decidual Cell Reaction,Implantation, Blastocyst,Nidation,Ovum Implantation,Blastocyst Implantations,Decidual Cell Reactions,Embryo Implantations,Implantation, Embryo,Implantation, Ovum,Implantations, Blastocyst,Implantations, Embryo,Implantations, Ovum,Nidations,Ovum Implantations
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D002104 Cadmium An element with atomic symbol Cd, atomic number 48, and atomic weight 112.41. It is a metal and ingestion will lead to CADMIUM POISONING.
D005260 Female Females
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