Ultrastructure of the dorsal prostate gland in zinc and cadmium treated rats

ABSTRACT

Changes in the ultrastructure of the dorsal lobe of the prostate gland from cadmium and zinc treated rats were studied using transmission electron microscopy. Two groups of rats [10 in each group] were injected subcutaneously [s.c.] with 2mg/kg cadmium chloride [Cdc12] and 10mg/kg zinc sulfate[ZnSO4], respectively. A third group was injected s.c. withnormal saline and served as a control. Tissues from the dorsal lobe of the prostate gland from the three groups were processed for transmission electron microscopy. Epithelial cells of the dorsal lobe of prostate gland from the cadmium and zinc treated groups showed a considerable variation in the morphology of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi comlex, secretory vesicles, mitochondria, and microvilli as compared with the control group. These variations may be due the direct effect of zinc and cadmium, and/or due to meta llothionein [MT] synthesis induced by zinc and cadmium. Further studies will be required to identify the active factor[s]