Effects of prenatal continuous gamma irradiation on the Macro- and micromorphological aspects of albino mouse fetuses

Abstract

Pregnant albino mice were continuously gamma-irradiated with daily doses of 50R and 100R from day 6 to day 16 of gestation. At day 20 of gestation the effects of continuous irradiation on the litter size, resorption rate, fetal weight, gross fetal morphology and micromorphology of specific fetal organs were studied. There was a significant reduction in the litter size of the group of mice receiving a total dose of 1000R gamma-irradiation in comparison with the litter size of the non-irradiated control group and the group receiving a total dose of 500R. The litter sizes of the last two groups did not differ from each other. Body weight of their radiated fetuses was significantly less than that of the control. Body weight of the 1000R fetuses was also significantly less than that of the 500R fetuses. Resorption percentages in the control, 500R and 1000R groups were 2.13, 6.28 and 62.38 respectively. Other than those due to general reduction in the body size, no gross morphological malformations were observed. The brain weight of the 1000R fetuses was significantly reduced as compared to that of the other groups of fetuses, whereas the brain weight of the 500R group showed no significant difference from that of the control group. Reduction of the eye weight was noticed in both of the irradiated groups of fetuses and was more prominent in the 1000R fetuses than in the 500R fetuses. The reduction in the weight of the brain and the eye was considered as an indication of developmental retardation. ...