Morphology of the X-irradiated testes ofDermestes frischiiKugelann (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). I. Somatic cells and pre-spermatid germ cells

During the development of a sterile male control method for Dermestes frischii Kugelann, testis follicles exposed to an X-ray dose of 3.0 krad were investigated using light and electron microscopy. There was considerable variation in the radiation sensitivity of the various somatic and germ cells. The cyst wall cells seemed particularly resistant while the inner layer of the bilayered follicle sheath was destroyed. The general resistance and versatility of the outer sheath layer maintained the integrity of the follicles. The only outer sheath and apical cells observed to decay were those in close proximity to degenerating germ cells. In some follicles all primary spermatogonia were destroyed, in others their numbers were only depleted. The surviving cells all underwent mitotic delay for 7–14 days. Their subsequent offspring were frequently found to break down and sometimes were proliferated so that germarial polarity was lost. All secondary spermatogonia but only a few primary spermatocytes were destroyed. The decay of germ cells within the same cyst did not necessarily proceed synchronously.