THE INFLUENCE OF PRE- AND POSTNATAL LOW INTENSITY CHRONIC RADIATION ON THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE GERMINAL EPITHELIUM IN THE ALBINO MOUSE. Final Report

Technical Report · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1963

OSTI ID:4728128

Brown, S O

Swiss albino mice were chronically exposed to Cs/sup 137/ gamma rays at the rates of 2, 5, 10, and 20 r/23-hr day in utero from the first day of gestation, and remained in the radiation field for various lengths of time postnatally until they were taken out of the radiation chamber and either bred to untreated mates or sacrificed for histological studies. Irradiation at 2 r/d, showed no demonstrable effect on testis weight, tubular diameter, and cellularity of the tubules after a dose of 306 r (153 days). Cell number of the tubule decreased to one-half of normal after 380 r (at 5 r/d for 76 days); and to one- fourth of normal after 830 r (at 10 r/d for 83 days). There was a slight effect on tubular diameter after 62 days of irradiation at 5 r/d (310 r). The effects of the same duration of irradiation at 10 and 20 r/d were more drastic. The data suggest that males were fertile, with spermatozoa production one-fourth as much as that of normal males. The fertility and litter size of the females were more easily affected than those of the males. The effects of irradiation of males and females on reproduction are summarized. (C.H.)

• Research Organization: Texas. Agricultural and Mechanical Coll., College Station. Engineering Experiment Station; and Texas. Agricultural and Mechanical Coll., College Station. Research Foundation
• NSA Number: NSA-17-021467
• OSTI ID: 4728128
• Report Number(s): TID-18549
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
CESIUM 137
CYTOLOGY
EMBRYOS
GAMMA RADIATION
GONADS
MICE
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
REPRODUCTION
SEX
TESTES
WEIGHT