Endocrine function and reproductive impairment in an irradiated population of the lizard Uta stansburiana. [Effects of chronic, low-level /sup 137/Cs. gamma. irradiation underfield conditions]

Journal Article · Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1978 · Radiat. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3574809· OSTI ID:6432535

Pearson, A K ^[1]; Licht, P; Nagy, K A; Medica, P A

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1. Univ. of California, Berkeley

Gonadal changes in lizards (Uta stansburiana) exposed to chronic low levels of ..gamma.. radiation (1.5 to 10 R/day) under field conditions are described, and attempts to evaluate endocrine involvement in these changes are made. Reproductive impairment in irradiated males was demonstrated during the breeding season by reduced testes weights and by seminiferous tubules devoid of germ cells. Ultrastructural morphology of Leydig cells, plasma testosterone levels, and developed accessory sex structures indicatedd normal steroidogenesis in such males; cytology of the pituitary gonadotropes and pituitary gonadotropin content indicated normal gonadotropin levels. These findings suggest that low levels of radiation affect the spermatogenic process directly, rather than through damage to the pituitary. Comparable irradiation caused complete resorption of ovarian tissue in some female Uta. The oviducts were atrophic and the pituitary gonadotropes hyperactive. Resemblance of gonadotropes to those of castrated animals and reduced pituitary hormone content suggests elevated levels of gonadotropin production, probably due to the absence of ovarian steroid feedback in affected animals. The continued mitotic activity of oogonia in adult reptiles and their limited number contributed to the vulnerability of germinal tissue in irradiated female lizards. Destruction of the germ cells was accompanied by resorption of all ovarian tissue including steroidogenic elements. Thus, in females as in males, radiation appears to damage gametogenesis rather than pituitary function.

• OSTI ID: 6432535
• Journal Information: Radiat. Res.; (United States), Vol. 76:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
GONADOTROPINS
SECRETION
OOGENESIS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
OVARIES
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PITUITARY GLAND
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
SPERMATOGENESIS
TESTES
CESIUM 137
CHRONIC IRRADIATION
DOSE RATES
FEMALES
GAMMA RADIATION
LIZARDS
LOW DOSE IRRADIATION
MALES
POPULATIONS
REPRODUCTION
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
FEMALE GENITALS
GAMETOGENESIS
GLANDS
GONADS
HORMONES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPES
MALE GENITALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
PEPTIDE HORMONES
PITUITARY HORMONES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
REPTILES
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
560152* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Animals