The separate and combined effects of calcium pantothenate deficiency and cadmium intoxication on rat reproductive function
AbstractThe publication presents investigation evaluated of separate and combined effects of calcium pantothenate deficiency and cadmium (Cd2+) intoxication on rat reproductive function. The experi-ments were performed on 280 adult and 890 offspring of Wistar rats. Reproductive function was estimated by fertility study, prenatal and postnatal development of offspring. The separate and combined effects of and cadmium intoxication during the mating period and pregnancy had no effect on fertility and fecundity of rats, pre-and postimplantation loss, the survival of offspring, and not caused the abnormal development of skeleton and internal organs. However, in prenatal ontogeny of this effect was manifested by lower body weight and fetal growth, postnatal – underdevelopment of rat pups in all morphological and functional studied parameters and increasing number of stillbirths in the offspring.
Keywords:rat reproductive function, prenatal development, postnatal development, calcium pantothenate deficiency, cadmium intoxication