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Title: NEUROPATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF LOW-LEVEL X-IRRADIATION OF THE MAMMALIAN EMBRYO

Abstract

An exposure of the 1.5 day mouse embryo (at the 1 to 2 cell stage) to as little as 15 r x rays will delay the early cleavages, increase intra-uterine death and resorption, reduce the number of apparently normals at birth, and occasionally cause the severe brain anomaly of exencephalia (brain hernia) indicating morphogenetic damage. When the embryo at 2.5 days (4 to 8 cells) is exposed to the same low level of 15 r x rays there is less severe damage, and exencephalia has never been produced. However, even some of these embryos go to pieces shortly after exposure or at the time of implantation. Cytologically the most common effect on some embryos of 15 r at 1.5 days is fragmentation of the early cleavages, resulting in reduced and a-nucleate blastomeres. Whether such a reduced but nucleated blastomere could give rise to a stunted fetus is mere conjecture. Other effects of 15 r at 1.5 days are swollen or pyknotic nuclei, hyperchromatic nuclei and occasionally the cytoplasm, and sometimes complete separation of constituent cells of the blastula at a later stage. Damaged blastomeres appear to exude a sticky substance which may be denatured cytoplasmic protein. Radiosensitivity of the embryomore » appears to be greatest immediately after fertilization and becomes progressively less as development proceeds. Until organogenesis is completed, however, embryonic loss may occur through death and resorption as a result of x irradiation and among the others there may be congenital anomalies and stunting which survive delivery. While extrapolation to other mammals is ill-advised, it is certainly suggestive that the radiosensitivity of the very early mammalian embryo may approach that of a genic mutation, and any exposure is too much. (auth)« less

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Columbia Univ., New York
OSTI Identifier:
4795608
NSA Number:
NSA-16-016212
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Military Med.
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: Vol: 126; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-62
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English
Subject:
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE; BRAIN; CYTOLOGY; EMBRYOS; LIFETIME; MALFORMATIONS; MICE; PROTEINS; QUANTITY RATIO; RADIATION DOSES; RADIATION EFFECTS; RADIATION INJURIES; RADIOSENSITIVITY; X RADIATION

Citation Formats

Rugh, R, and Grupp, E. NEUROPATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF LOW-LEVEL X-IRRADIATION OF THE MAMMALIAN EMBRYO. Country unknown/Code not available: N. p., 1961. Web.
Rugh, R, & Grupp, E. NEUROPATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF LOW-LEVEL X-IRRADIATION OF THE MAMMALIAN EMBRYO. Country unknown/Code not available.
Rugh, R, and Grupp, E. 1961. "NEUROPATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF LOW-LEVEL X-IRRADIATION OF THE MAMMALIAN EMBRYO". Country unknown/Code not available.
@article{osti_4795608,
title = {NEUROPATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF LOW-LEVEL X-IRRADIATION OF THE MAMMALIAN EMBRYO},
author = {Rugh, R and Grupp, E},
abstractNote = {An exposure of the 1.5 day mouse embryo (at the 1 to 2 cell stage) to as little as 15 r x rays will delay the early cleavages, increase intra-uterine death and resorption, reduce the number of apparently normals at birth, and occasionally cause the severe brain anomaly of exencephalia (brain hernia) indicating morphogenetic damage. When the embryo at 2.5 days (4 to 8 cells) is exposed to the same low level of 15 r x rays there is less severe damage, and exencephalia has never been produced. However, even some of these embryos go to pieces shortly after exposure or at the time of implantation. Cytologically the most common effect on some embryos of 15 r at 1.5 days is fragmentation of the early cleavages, resulting in reduced and a-nucleate blastomeres. Whether such a reduced but nucleated blastomere could give rise to a stunted fetus is mere conjecture. Other effects of 15 r at 1.5 days are swollen or pyknotic nuclei, hyperchromatic nuclei and occasionally the cytoplasm, and sometimes complete separation of constituent cells of the blastula at a later stage. Damaged blastomeres appear to exude a sticky substance which may be denatured cytoplasmic protein. Radiosensitivity of the embryo appears to be greatest immediately after fertilization and becomes progressively less as development proceeds. Until organogenesis is completed, however, embryonic loss may occur through death and resorption as a result of x irradiation and among the others there may be congenital anomalies and stunting which survive delivery. While extrapolation to other mammals is ill-advised, it is certainly suggestive that the radiosensitivity of the very early mammalian embryo may approach that of a genic mutation, and any exposure is too much. (auth)},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/4795608}, journal = {Military Med.},
number = ,
volume = Vol: 126,
place = {Country unknown/Code not available},
year = {Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1961},
month = {Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1961}
}