Localization of mercury in the rat ovary after oral administration of mercuric chloride

The Timm sulphide-silver method was used for histochemical localization of mercury in the ovaries of young rats fed with mercuric chloride. After 12 weeks of mercuric chloride administration test animals showed disturbances in the estrous cycle manifested by the prolongation of diestrous phase. In the ovaries of these rats the deposits of mercury were shown to occur particularly in macrophages of atretic young and mature ovarian follicles and corpora lutea, within granulosa cells of atretic follicles, and in the lutein cells of freshly formed corpora lutea. Follicular fluid and, irregularly, germinal epithelium also showed the ability to mercury accumulation. The ovaries of control animals treated according to the Timm procedure demonstrated negative histochemical reactivity.