Fig. 2. Cadmium exposure causes changes in some base immune parameters in rats. At the conclusion of the study, spleens were weighed prior to processing into a single cell suspension. (A) Spleen weight-to-body weight ratio was calculated, and then multiplied by 1000. (B) Splenocytes were counted both with and without red blood cell lysis to obtain the numbers of RBCs, leukocytes, and total cells. Splenocytes were labeled with fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies against (C) CD4 and CD25, CD4 and CD8, or (D) CD3, CD45R, and CD11b/c, and analyzed by flow cytometry. Doublets were excluded prior to the analysis of percentages of each cell type. CD11b/c is expressed as a percentage of cells that are CD3^– CD45R^–. Data are presented as mean ± SE. * indicates P < 0.05 between the in vivo control and cadmium exposed groups.