Effects of ionizing radiation on oocytes of prepubertally irradiated rats

Purpose: To characterize the effects of ionizing radiation on the immature oocytes of prepubertal rats aged 16-20 days old. Materials and methods: The abdomen of Sprague Dawley (SD) female rats was e xposed to 0, I and 2 Gy of X-rays. The effects were analysed when the anima ls became adults (80 days old) using as parameters the number of implantati on sites, embryonic loss, dominant lethality and the synaptonemal complex ( SC) analysis of F1 female foetuses. Results: A statistically significant decrease in the fertility of the 2 Gy irradiated rats was observed. However, the SC analysis of Fl female foetuse s showed no cytogenetic damage that could be attributed to radiation. Conclusions: A reproductive effect was demonstrated but no inherited geneti c damage was detected by SC analysis in female foetuses of irradiated mothe rs.