Cadmium and reproduction in the female lizard Podarcis sicula

Cadmium, a transition metal, is highly toxic to reproductive tissues causing organ damage and functional deficiency in both males (Blottner et al., 1999; Foote,1999; Leoni et al., 2002) and females (Wier et al., 1990; De Swapan et al., 1993; Bires et al., 1995; Hen Chow & Cheng, 2003; Nampoothiri et al., 2007; Zhang & Jia, 2007; Thompson et al., 2008). Toxic effects indicate that environmental cadmium exposure may significantly threatens the reproductive performance and, therefore, population survival. For this reason it has become essential to determine the effects of this pollutant on wild species. Studies reported here analyse the effects of cadmium on ovarian follicles in the female Italian wall lizard. Podarcis sicula may be good bioindicator of heavy metal contamination since it lives in close contact with the soil, being therefore exposed to intoxication by food and inhalation. Effects of three different experimental treatments have been evaluated by analysing damage in follicle architecture and by searching for changes in cell proliferation by PCNA (proliferating cells nuclear antigen) immunolocalisation. Cadmium in fact interferes with cell cycle progression by retarding proliferation (Xie & Shaikh, 2006).