Relationship between the Abnormalities of the Reproductive Organ and the Accumulation of the Environmental Disruptors in the Striped Field Mouse, Apodemus agrarius

등줄쥐의 생식계 이상과 내분비계장애물질 축적과의 관련에 대하여

Relationships between accumulations of endocrine disruptors and abnormalities in the reproductive organs in the adult male striped field mice, Apodemus agrarius, were reviewed. High levels of phenolic compounds were detected in the mice collected at an agricultural village in Gaduck island and at a place having a sewage problem in Samdong-myeon, Namhae. High levels of organo tin compounds were found in the mice collected at Jiri Mt. a tourist resort. Considerably high levels of phenolic or organo tin compounds were detected in mice with shrunken reproductive organs accounting for 14∼42% of the mice examined in each area, which suggests that the abnormality of reproductive organs may be induced by the endocrine disruptors. This hypothesis is strongly supported by histological observations of shrunken reproductive organs, such as necrosis of testicular germ and epithelial cells. This was found not only in the mice with shrunken reproductive organs but also in the mice with enlarged reproductive organs, both had accumulated high levels of endocrine disruptors in general.