title: Physical and motor development in male and female rat offspring prenatally exposed to gamma radiation.
abstract: The effects of radiation on physical and motor development of male and female rats exposed to ionizing radiation in utero were studied. Rats were exposed to three different doses of radiation (150 rad, 15 rad and 6.8 rad, considered as high, moderate and low doses of radiation respectively) on the 20th day of prenatal life. Exposure to 150 rad contributed to significantly lower body weights of both male and female rat offspring. Upper jaw tooth eruption was delayed in 150 rad treated male offspring, as well as in 15 rad and 150 rad treated female offspring. Cliff-avoidance response was delayed in 6.8 rad, 15 rad, and 150 rad treated male offspring; and 150 rad treated female offspring. Lower jaw tooth eruption, eye opening, and crawling were not affected by radiation in male or female animals. Results indicate that radiation affected the developmental parameters of both male and female rat offspring, and sex of the offspring played no role in the magnitude of radiation induced damages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Alcorn State University, Lorman, Mississippi 39096, USA.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Zaman
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Lancaster
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Hupp
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000528:radiation effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000528:radiation effects; D005123:Eye / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012737:Sex Factors; D014078:Tooth Eruption / Q000528:radiation effects