Effects of mercury compounds on ovulation and meiotic and mitotic chromosomes in female golden hamsters

Abstract

Abstract When female golden hamsters were subcutaneously injected with either CH 3 HgCl or HgCl 2 in doses of 6.4 mg or 12.8 mg Hg/kg body weight, the incidence of chromosome aberrations was slightly increased in bone marrow cells, but not in metaphase II oocytes. In the HgCl 2 ‐treated animals the ovulation was inhibited, although mercury concentrations in ovaries were relatively low. However, in the CH 3 HgCl‐treated groups, despite high concentrations of mercury in ovaries, the ovulation was not affected.