Effects of low dose X-irradiation on intra-uterine death in mice subjected to exposure when young or at foetal stage.

Abstract

Tests were carried out with the view of establishing the effect of X-ray doses of 4 and 8 rad on intrauterine death rate in mouse. Young suckling females whose oocytes are known for their somatic sensitivity as well as two week old foetuses in the oocytes of which DNA synthesis takes place were irradiated. The females subjected to irradiation originated either from an inbred strain or they were hybrids. When mating for analysis the males were taken from the inbred or an unrelated strain. No significant differences as regards intra-uterine death rate were established between single irradiated and non-irradiated series, although the controls in two out of three experiments on the whole showed the lowest values. However, the tests have plainly shown that there exists a considerable variation in the frequency of early and late intra-uterine deaths in different types of matings and the important role males can play as regards the rate of implants.