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EARLY ACTIONS OF CADMIUM IN THE RAT AND DOMESTIC FOWL TESTIS

Summary.: Carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity in the testis of the rat and fowl was inhibited in vivo and in vitro by cadmium chloride (CdCl₂). Testes were removed from control animals and from animals which had previously received injections of 0·03 mmol CdCl₂/kg. In both species, there was an initial inhibition followed by an increase in enzyme activity 10 min after injection. Exposure of testis tissue in vitro to 0·0001, 0·001, 0·01 or 0·1 M-CdCl₂ revealed that the CA activity in the testis tissue of both species was equally inhibited. The data verify that cadmium causes biochemical changes in the testis soon after injection. The fact that testicular CA activity in both the rat and fowl is inhibited by Cd, suggests either that inhibition of this enzyme is not the mode of action resulting in testicular damage or that the fowl testis is tolerant to CA inhibition.