[Influence of chronic use of lead ions on rat spermatozoa]

The aim of the paper has been to establish the manner, in which the lead damages spermatozoa, and what role in this process is played by epithelial cells of epididymis, responsible for maturation and survival of spermatozoa in that organ. The studies were carried out on sexually mature male rats, which were given to drink lead acetate (II), for 9 months. Studies in vitro were also performed on isolated, from epididymis, spermatozoa of rats untreated with lead, but incubated in milieu having high concentration of ions of that element. A number of research techniques were employed: morphologic examinations of testes and epididymidis, with stages of spermic epithelium and epididymal zones being taken into consideration; microscopic-electron studies of cells in epididymal duct wall and spermatozoa from duct lumen; X-ray microanalysis determining the presence and the types of elements on ultrathin specimens of epididymal cells and in spermatozoa; histochemical examinations for oxidoreductase of spermatozoa. Lead deposits were found in cells of the epididymal duct and lumen. The most of such deposits were revealed in epithelial cells, through which substances from the blood vessels are transported to the duct lumen-to spermatozoa. That gives rise to the possibility of damaging spermatozoa, which had been verified by microscopic-electron and histochemical examinations of spermatozoa. The vitro studies disclosed the ability of lead to penetrate spermatozoa, particularly the midpiece. Very important is the conclusion highlighting that the presence of lead deposits in epithelial cells and in the lumen of epididymal duct supports the possibility of excreting this element from the organism of mammals with the semen.