Fig. 3: Cd induced testicular autophagy, which was decreased in the self-recovery period.

a, b A representative immunoblot and quantification analysis of LC3, p62, Beclin1, mTOR, and p-mTOR at 5th, 8th, and 13th week. c, d A representative immunoblot and quantification analysis of LC3, p62, Beclin1, mTOR, and p-mTOR in 0.8 mg/kg Cd group at 1st–13th week. β-actin was used as an internal standard for protein loading. e–h Representative transmission electron micrographs (TEM) depicting the ultrastructure of SCs, LC, SG, PSC, and SSC in 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 mg/kg Cd group at 5th, 8th, 13th week, and 0.8 mg/kg Cd at 1st–13th week. Areas for the cell in the left column (Scale bar, 5 μm) have been shown for further detail in the right column (Scale bar, 2 μm). SC, Sertoli cells; LC Leydig cells; SG spermatogonium; PSC primary spermatocyte; SSC secondary spermatocyte; N cell nucleus; M mitochondria; ER endoplasmic reticulum; Go Golgi apparatus; Black arrowheads indicate early autophagic vacuoles; green arrowheads indicate typical autophagosomes containing intracellular components and organelles; orange arrowheads indicate late autolysosomes; blue arrowheads indicate lipid droplets; white arrowheads indicate lysosomes. When it comes to the comparisons of 5th, 8th, 13th week in 0.8 mg/kg Cd group in d and h, the data is re-used. *P < 0.05 compared with the control. ^#P < 0.05 compared with 5th week. ^&P < 0.05 compared with 8th week.