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The Changes in Cell Morphology and Histochemistry of the Testis Following Irradiation and Their Relation to Other Induced Testicular Changes^*

I. Quantitative Random Sampling of Germinal Cells at Intervals following Direct Irradiation

Lloyd C. Fogg and Russell F. Cowing

(From the Department of Public Health, Pondville Hospital, Walpole, Mass.)

Testes of pure line C57 black adult mice, 18–25 gm., were subjected to a single dose of x-radiation at 300 r, both direct and total-body.

The evaluation of radiation effects has been based on a quantitative random sampling of the germinal elements of the testis, quantitated with respect to frequency of cell population types plotted against time after radiation.

Evidence is presented to show that a small percentage of all germinal elements persist after a dose of 300 r. The period of least frequency of spermatocytes is around 14 days; that of spermatids and sperm, 28 days. The data indicate that it takes 21–22 days for a gonium to develop into sperm.

The slopes of the curves in terms of time and progressive loss of each of the germinal elements are roughly the same. This suggests that each of the germinal elements is affected to the same degree but at different intervals.

The period of greatest biological variation is from 10 to 28 days for each of the four germinal elements.

A single dose of 300 r does not cause the disappearance of Sertoli cells, hyperplasia of the interstitial cells, nor is connective tissue visibly affected in the 12-week interval included in this study.

^* This work was supported by Grant C-1047 from the Public Health Service and by the Department of Public Health, Pondville Hospital.

Chief of Laboratory, Pondville Hospital; Instructor in Pathology, Harvard University.

Medical nuclear physicist.

Received 7/ 7/50.