CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE TESTES OF IMMATURE RATS IN CONDITIONS OF ELEVATED INTAKE OF HEAVY METALS SALTS IN THE BODY AND ITS CORRECTION

The research presents the results of the study of seminal gland tissue of 128 immature rats treated with salts of zinc, copper, iron, manganese, chromium and lead from drinking water for 60 days. The aim of the study was to investigate the accumulation of zinc, copper, lead, manganese, chromium and iron in the tissue of the testes during their alimentary intake and under conditions of L-carnitine correction. Using spectrophotometry in atomic absorption mode, it was found out that the level of zinc reduced and the content of other analyzed trace elements increased. Accumulation of copper, iron, manganese, chromium and lead in seminal gland tissue was mostly expressed in the period of 60 days; iron, lead and chromium showed the largest organ tropism. The low rate of HMC accumulation in the testes of rats of breast and suckling age periods could be explained by the limited intake of xenobiotics via maternal milk. Loss of zinc by testis tissue was caused by antagonistic interactions between chemical elements that came into the body of rats in excessive quantities. Interaction of chemical elements at different levels could lead to secondary violations of chemical and structural homeostases of the organ causing further inhibition of its function. The results of chemical analyses of testes of immature rats, obtained by SEM, indicated the dependence of accumulation of micro elements of heavy metals from the morphofunctional activity of the histological structure of the studied organ. Heavy metals mainly accumulated in the functionally active spermatogenic epithelium.