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Prenatal death and malformations after irradiation of mouse zygotes with neutrons or X-rays

Journal Article · · Teratology; (United States)
;
Female mice (strain: Heiligenberger Stamm) were irradiated with neutrons (7 MeV) or X-rays when embryos were at the early zygote stage; uterine contents were examined on gestation day 19 for prenatal mortality and malformed fetuses. For both radiation qualities, the dose-dependent survival curve fitted well to a simple exponential equation; the neutron relative biological efficiency (RBE) value was 2.3. The major fraction of deaths induced by exposure to neutrons or X-rays occurred before implantation. Aside from dead embryos, malformed fetuses were observed 19 days p.c. (postconception). The number of malformed fetuses increased with a linear-quadratic function of neutron or X-ray dose. Malformations were mainly gastroschisis, although omphaloceles and anencephalies were also observed. The neutron RBE value for the induction of malformations varied from 2.0 to 2.8 in the dose range tested. Except after 75-cGy neutrons, no significant increase in the proportion of stunted or skeletally malformed fetuses was noted. Our results indicated that the reaction of preimplantation embryos to irradiation could be more complex than the simple all-or-none response considered so far.
Research Organization:
Universitaetsklinikum Essen (Germany, F.R.)
OSTI ID:
6768588
Journal Information:
Teratology; (United States), Journal Name: Teratology; (United States) Vol. 37:6; ISSN TJADA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BARYONS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CONGENITAL MALFORMATIONS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EMBRYOS
FERMIONS
FETUSES
GENETIC EFFECTS
GENETIC RADIATION EFFECTS
HADRONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MALFORMATIONS
MAMMALS
MICE
NEUTRONS
NUCLEONS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PREGNANCY
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOINDUCTION
RBE
RODENTS
TERATOGENESIS
VERTEBRATES
X RADIATION
ZYGOTES