Influence of prenatal irradiation on second generation mice.

Abstract

Pregnant mice were irradiated with 0.5 and 2 Gy on the 13th gestational day. Offspring were raised until sexual maturity at 2 months of age. Mice from prenatally irradiated mothers and unexposed fathers, or from prenatally irradiated fathers and unexposed mothers, or from parents who had both been prenatally irradiated were mated, resulting in the birth of several mice. These second generation mice were tested as adults for hearing thresholds, with the ABR technique, subjectively to balance tests. and investigated morphologically. Hearing levels were found to be normal and the organ of Corti showed only minor changes of its inner and outer hair cells as shown by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. It is concluded that prenatal irradiation does not seem to cause mutations leading to impaired hearing and balance in second generation mice.