Response of Male Germ Cells of Mouse to Acute and Fractionated Doses of 131i Induced Radiation

The effects of radioactive iodine in acute as well as fractionated doses on male germ cells were studied. 131I in four acute doses of 10, 15, 20 and 25 microCi was given intraperitoneally. For fractionated doses, 12.5 microCi was given twice with an interval of 24 h. A dose relationship was exhibited between the concentration of radionuclide and the survival fraction of type A spermatogonia, intermediate and type B spermatogonia and preleptotene spermatocytes. The maximum depletion was recorded after 25 microCi. The survival values for this dose group were 40.4, 51.4, and 25.0% for type A cells, intermediate and type B cells and preleptotene spermatocytes, respectively. Fractionated doses of radioiodine also reduced the survival rate of gonadal cells and are more effective than 20 microCi acute dose in decreasing the survival fraction of all types of gonadal cells.