Sirenomelia: analysis in the cadmium- and lead-treated golden hamster

Sirenomelia, a fusion of the lower extremities, is believed to result from a median, bilateral symmetric defect of the caudal portion of the embryo at a very early stage in development. Anomalies of the gastrointestinal and urogenital systems are commonly associated with this malformation. Sirenomelia is not an embryo-lethal condition but typically is incompatible with postnatal life when combined with the associated malformations. In this study, intravenous treatment of hamsters with a combination of cadmium and lead on the morning of the eighth day of gestation resulted in 1.4, 22.2, and 35.6% of the viable fetuses displaying sirenomelia in litters recovered on days 15, 12, and 10 of gestation, respectively. With the exception of several fetuses with exencephaly, most structures cranial to the level of the umbilicus were normal. Caudal abdominal and pelvic structures were severely affected, with agenesis or dysgenesis of the kidneys, bladder, umbilical arteries, and external genitalia frequently noted. The administration of a combination of cadmium and lead has proven to be an effective and consistent means of inducing sirenomelia in the golden hamster.