Effect of Cadmium on the Reproductive Organs of the Male Potoroo Potorous tridactylus (Macropodidae)

Abstract

Low (2' 28 mglkg) or high (4' 56 mg/kg) doses of cadmium chloride were administered, either intraperitoneally or subcutaneously, to adult male potoroos (P. tridactylus). After 7 days, the testes, caput epididymis and spermatic cords of the high-dose groups all displayed a degree of cellular damage; however, the damage was not as extensive as that which occurs in some eutherian species after only 24 h. This time differential might be attributed to structural differences between the testicular blood supply in eutherians and marsupials.