Ultrastructural Alterations in the Hepatic Tissue of Rats Induced by Lead .

Abstract

Abstract. Lead is a multi targeted toxicant causing effects in different organs of the body. The present ultrastructural study was undertaken on the hepatic tissue of male Wistar albino rats to investigate the ultrastructural alterations due to lead intoxication at concentration and duration which showed no marked pathological or histological changes. Two groups of male Wistar albino rats (Rattus noroegicus), 6 animals each were used. The treated group was exposed to 0.25% lead acetate trihydrate in drinking water for 6 months. Sodium acetate replaced lead acetate for the control group. In comparison with respective control rats, chronic exposure to subtoxic doses of lead produced ultrastructural alterations in hepatocytes involving mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes and nuclei. Also, Kupffer cells, sinusoides and bile canaliculi showed some alterations. The present study shows that although chronic exposure to low subtoxic doses of lead does not produce marked histological changes, it can induce adverse subcellular alterations in the hepatic tissues. Key words: Ultrastructure, lead, hepatocytes, mitochondria, lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Kupffer cells, Rattus llonJegicus.