More cerebellar granule cells following prenatal low-dose X-irradiation.
It was the aim of this study to estimating and comparing the total number of granule and Purkinje cells in the cerebellum of 180-day-old mice following a prenatal low-dose X-irradiation (50 cGy) at day 13 of gestation. Using the optical fractionator we found an expected, significant decrease of the total number of Purkinje cells (-21.1%; P=0.041) and a surprising, significant increase of the total number of granule cells (+23.1%; P=0.026) if comparing prenatally irradiated with sham-irradiated mice. The possible molecular basis of these seemingly paradoxical results is discussed.
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, RWTH University Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse/Wendlingweg 2, D-52057, Aachen, Germany. cschmitz@post.klinikum.rwth-aachen.de
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D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count / Q000528:radiation effects; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation; D014965:X-Rays