title: Comparative study of spermatogonial survival after x-ray exposure, high LET (HZE) irradiation or spaceflight.
abstract: Spermatogonial cell loss has been observed in rats flown on Space Lab 3, Cosmos 1887, Cosmos 2044 and in mice following irradiation with X-ray or with high energy (HZE) particle beams.  Spermatogonial loss is determined by cell counting in maturation stage 6 seminiferous [correction of seminferous] tubules.  With the exception of Iron, laboratory irradiation experiments (with mice) revealed a similar pattern of spermatogonial loss proportional to the radiation dose at levels less than 0.1 Gy.  Helium and Argon irradiation resulted in a 5% loss of spermatogonia after only 0.01 Gy exposure.  However, significant spermatogonial loss (45%) occured at this radiation level with Iron particle beams. The loss of spermatogonia during each space flight was less than 10% when compared to control (non-flight) animals.  This loss, although small, was significant.  Although radiation may be a contributing factor in the loss of spermatogonia during space flight, exposure levels, as determined by dosimetry, were not significant to account for the total cell loss observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Tuskegee University, AL 36088.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Sapp
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Philpott
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Miquel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serova
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D003359:Cosmic Radiation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007501:Iron / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D005741:Noble Gases / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013026:Space Flight; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014893:Weightlessness
chemical_list: D005741:Noble Gases; D007501:Iron