The Protective Effect of Selenium on Cadmium-Induced Injury to Normal and Cryptorchid Testes in the Rat1

Abstract
An ultrastructural study on the protective effect of Se upon Cd-induced damage to the vasculature of scrotal and cryptorchid testes of the rat was performed. Pretreatment with Se injected s.c. prevented the progressive time related changes to the endothelial cell junctions seen at 3, 6 and 9 h after the s.c. injection of Cd alone. This suggests an inactivation of Cd by Se prior to its transit across the endothelium. The cryptorchid condition made no noticeable difference upon the protective effect of Se even though the cryptorchid testis is more susceptible to Cd toxicity. An interaction between Cd and Ca may be responsible for the breakdown of the cell junctions.