الفهرس 
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Abstract
This work was done in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University.
Cadmium is one of the commonest toxic heavy metal contaminant in the environment. It has different industrial uses, it occurs naturally in the environment, and occurs at relatively high concentrations in cigarette smoke. Cadmium took much attention due to its wide availability, very long half life and its harmful health adverse effects.
The aim of this work was to study the toxic effects of cadmium on blood andsperm characteristics, in addition this work aimed to study the immunohistochemical effects of cadmium on kidneys and livers. This work also studied the possible protective effects of selenium against cadmium induced toxicity on those systems.
Eighty adult male rats were used for this research, divided into 4 groups (20 rats for each). One group was the control group that just received water, the other was the selenium group that received water containing sodium selenite(O.Olmg/L) in order to exclude any possible side effects of selenium on the results of the study, the third group was treated by water containing cadmium chloride (200mgIL), the last one received water containing both cadmium (200mg/L) and selenium (O.Olmg/L) in order to study the possible protective effects of selenium. Treatment was carried out using Ryle’s tube. At the end of the period of study which was 3 months, rats were sacrificed to obtain their blood samples, testis, kidneys and livers.
Blood was examined for its hemoglobin level (Rb), total erythrocytic count (TEC), packed cell volume (PCV) and total leucocytic count (TLC). Semen analysis was done to examine sperm characteristics which were sperm count, sperm motility, number of dead sperms and number of abnormal sperms. Immunohistochemical studies were done on kidneys and livers to localize metallothionein which is a cadmiu..TD. binding protein that is expressed in response to oxidative stress.
The hematological study revealed that cadmium resulted in significant decrease in Rb, TEC and PCV; on the other hand it resulted in a significant elevation of TLC. Co-treatment with cadmium and selenium resulted into a significant elevation of Rb, TEC and PCV; on the other hand selenium resulted in a significant decrease of TLC.
The spermatological study revealed that cadmium resulted in a significant lowering of sperm count and sperm motility; it also led to a significant increase in the number of both dead and abnormal sperms. When seienium was used in conjunction with cadmium it resulted in significant increase of sperm count and sperm motility, and on the other hand selenium resulted in significant decrease in the number of dead sperms and that of abnormal sperms.
Immunohistochemical examination of sections of liver tissues obtained from cadmium treated rats revealed diffuse metallothionein localization in all hepatocytes, biliarycanaliculi and many hepatic nuclei. Circulatory elements as hepatic vein and hepatic sinusoids were spared.
Co-administration of selenium and cadmium resulted in much lowering of immunohistochemical localization of metallothionein in
tissue sections of t of hepatocytes.
Immunohis rats treated with I many (but not all) of their nuc1ei,with as happened in liv{ metallothionein exp