Morphological and Histological Study on Thyroid Gland Toxicity in Male Rats Exposed to Mercury

Abstract

The present study investigated the effect of heavy metals (Mercury chloride) on the morphological and
histological feature of the thyroid gland. Rattus norvegicus male rats were selected for experimental use.
the rats given doses of Hg salts (3mg/kg, Ip.3times weekly for 4 week) admin is tration altered
the body weight, thyroid weight, length and width of thyroid gland. Morphologically, the thyroid gland
was consisted of two labs of reddish brown in color, the lobes were located on ventral Lateral side of
trachea connected caudally with isthmus. While the thyroid gland treated rats recorded changes in color
(pale), swollen and enlarged. histologically, the architectural cellular structure gland of the thyroid gland
of exposed rats recorded variations in the follicular thyroid, congested blood vessels and depletion of para
follicular cells in the rats treated to Hg in a comparison to that of the control rats. This signify that animals
exposed to Hg could at a risk of thyroid gland.