Studies On Some Fetal Rat Organs Following Maternal Hyperthermia

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out to determine the histological changes in brain, liver and kidneys of rat fetuses maternally heatstressed at early stage of pregnancy to either high "spiking" temperature of short duration or low temperature of long duration. The number of viable fetuses as well as the fetal weight of the heatstressed groups was significantly reduced compared with corresponding controls. Edema and microphthalmia are the only malformations detected among the viable 18 days fetuses of the two heatstressed groups. The thickness of cerebral cortex of maternally heatstressed fetuses was markedly reduced. Hyperthermia, destroyed the endothelial cells of blood capillaries thus resulting a disruptive appearance of the neuroepithelial tissue. Hyperthermia exerted degeneration of hepatocytes, dilation of sinusoids and destruction of vascular endothelium of developing liver. Moreover, server changes were observed in the cortical region of the kidneys of maternally heatstressed fetuses. Some glomeruli were.atrophied while the tubular system showed fatty degeneration, clowdy swelling and necrosis of tubular epithelium.