Biol Reprod Keystone Symposia Conference on Frontiers in Reproductive Biology & Regulation of Fertility.
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Biology of Reproduction, Vol 1, 207-214, Copyright © 1969 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

Development and Radioresponse of the Prenatal Bovine Testis

G. H. MATSCHKE 1, and B. H. ERICKSON 1

1 Agricultural Research Laboratory of the University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge, Tennessee


Prenatal development of the bovine testis and its germ cells was observed in gonads or testes that varied in age from 27 to 280 days postcoitum. Germ cells per testis increased from few or no germ cells at day 32 (germinal ridge first noted) to 4.1 million at day 110. Numbers remained essentially unchanged from this age to day 200, but from this point to day 270 numbers of germ cells rose to approximately 13.4 million. Germinal mitotic activity was at a peak in testes aged 37 days, remained high to day 55, dropped abruptly at day 65 and decreased to its lowest level at day 110. Mitotic activity increased somewhat in testes of 230 days of age and by day 270 numbers of mitotic figures were approximately double that seen at day 230.

Fifty-six animals were exposed in utero (400 R, air dose to dam) to approximately 150 rads of 60Co gamma rays at 0.5 R/min. Ages at irradiation varied from 20 to 280 days postcoitum. Histological analyses of testes aged 10 months revealed little or no damage in those irradiated prior to day 70 of gestation, but at day 70, 70% of the tubule cross-sections examined were sterile. The percentage of sterile cross-sections increased slightly in testes irradiated at days 91 to 120 and remained unchanged to day 210. Thereafter, the magnitude of the irradiation effect diminished and only 20% of the tubule cross-sections were sterile in testes irradiated at 241-280 days of gestation. Sperm of lesser quality was produced by bulls 25 months of age irradiated at 130 days of gestation at 30% of control levels.

 Submitted on February 27, 1969






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Copyright © 1969 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction.