Wu. Muller et H. Schotten, INDUCTION OF MALFORMATIONS BY X-RAY-EXPOSURE OF VARIOUS STAGES OF THEOOGENESIS OF MICE, Mutation research, 331(1), 1995, pp. 119-125
We studied the effects of ionizing radiation (X-rays, 0-3 Gy, dose rat
e 1 Gy/min) on various stages of oogenesis of a mouse strain (HLG/Zte)
that had been shown previously to respond with an increased number of
malformations after radiation exposure of preimplantation stages. Lik
e the results obtained with preimplantation stages, we observed a stat
istically significant increase in the number of malformed fetuses (exc
lusively gastroschises) on day 19 of gestation, when oocytes within 1-
4 weeks before ovulation were exposed to 2 or 3 Gy. Less mature oocyte
s were killed by radiation doses of 0.5 Gy and higher. In addition to
the increased frequency of malformations, we found a dose-dependent in
crease of lethal effects (affecting either oocytes or specific gestati
onal stages) and of runts ('dwarfs').