Abstract
The hazards of lead to reproduction are reviewed on the basis of the concentrations found in the environment. It appears evident that lead has no direct action on male reproductive capacity. Most likely, indeed, alterations in sperm morphology reported by several authors reflect the general cytotoxicity of the metal and not any mutagenic action since recent reviews concluded that lead is neither mutagenic nor clastogenic. This is also confirmed by the outcome of the dominant lethality and fertility tests which gave negative results. Lead crosses the placental barrier, a fact demonstrated in man as well as in experimental animals, but the human placenta presents a partial barrier to the transfer of lead. Given to pregnant mice, lead delays embryonic development and also has an indirect effect by modifying hormonal production needed for the implantation process. The toxic action on the fetus at late stages of pregnancy is caused mainly by an interference with heme synthesis but also by a lowered blood flow through the placenta.
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© 1983 Plenum Press, New York
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Leonard, A., Gerber, G.B., Jacquet, P. (1983). Effect of Lead on Reproductive Capacity and Development of Mammals. In: Clarkson, T.W., Nordberg, G.F., Sager, P.R. (eds) Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity of Metals. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9346-1_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9346-1_14
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