The effect of mercuric acetate on selected enzymes of maternal and fetal hamsters at different gestational ages.

This study establishes levels of activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), glycogen phosphorylase (GP), and cytochrome c oxidase (cyt c ox) in maternal, placental, and fetal tissues at Days 9, 12, and 15 in the 16-day gestation period of the hamster, and following a single dose of either 8 or 15 mg/kg mercuric acetate on the eighth gestational day. Mercury significantly elevated maternal kidney G6PD activity and decreased GP activity. The increase in kidney G6PD strongly correlated with observed urine and kidney abnormalities.