Cadmium Toxicity to the Animal Reproductive Systems: A Narrative Review

Cadmium is a heavy metal used in industrial processes that can be released into the environment, where it accumulates in plants. When animals consume these plants, resistance to metabolic elimination results in cadmium accumulation in tissues, inducing damage to multiple organs, particularly the testes and ovaries, thereby impairing reproductive fitness. A substantial body of recent research has explored the ways in which this damage is passed down to the offspring of affected animals, resulting in transgenerational reproductive harm. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the ways in which cadmium disrupts the reproductive systems of male and female animals, as well as a detailed examination of the multigenerational effects of parental cadmium exposure on reproductive health in offspring. We highlight common themes among different animal models, potential biological pathways involved in multigenerational toxicity, and gaps in our current understanding of how cadmium toxicity is transmitted between generations. Finally, we present recommendations for future studies of the multigenerational effects of cadmium toxicity on the animal reproductive system.