Effects of prenatal and neonatal exposure to lead on white blood cells in Swiss mice [Swiss farelerde prenatal ve yenidoǧan kurşun maruziyetinin beyaz kan hücreleri üzerine etkileri]

Lead exposure is one of the major environmental issues for children and women of child bearing age. it crosses the placental barrier and its greater intestinal absorption in fetus results in developmental defects. lead,as one of the environmental pollutants,can threat the lives of animals and human beings in many ways; especially during developing stages. the present study was carried out to study the alterations in different types of white blood cells (wbc) due to chronic lead acetate toxicity in neonates,which passes from adult pregnant female during gestation and lactation. lead acetate was administered orally at 8,16,32 mg /kg/bw to pregnant swiss mice from 10th day of gestation to 21th day of lactation. hematopathological and numerical alterations in the wbcs were examined in the neonates after birth at postnatal days 1,7,14 and 21. blood smears examined illustrate that lead induces disturbances in the development of different types of wbcs during postnatal development and lead to an abrupt neutrophilic degeneration,immature cells,abnormal neutrophils,reactive and plasmacytoid lymphocytes. the results of the present study emphasize that prenatal lead exposure is extremely dangerous to developing fetus.