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. 2013 Oct 8:3:2850.
doi: 10.1038/srep02850.

Effects of radioactive caesium on bull testes after the Fukushima nuclear plant accident

Hideaki Yamashiro  1 , Yasuyuki Abe, Tomokazu Fukuda, Yasushi Kino, Isao Kawaguchi, Yoshikazu Kuwahara, Motoi Fukumoto, Shintaro Takahashi, Masatoshi Suzuki, Jin Kobayashi, Emi Uematsu, Bin Tong, Takahisa Yamada, Satoshi Yoshida, Eimei Sato, Hisashi Shinoda, Tsutomu Sekine, Emiko Isogai, Manabu Fukumoto
Affiliations

Effects of radioactive caesium on bull testes after the Fukushima nuclear plant accident

Hideaki Yamashiro et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the effect of chronic radiation exposure associated with the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant accident on the testis from 2 bulls. Estimated dose of internal exposure in one bull was 0.7-1.2 mGy (¹³⁴Cs) and 0.4-0.6 mGy (¹³⁷Cs) and external exposure was 2.0 mGy (¹³⁴Cs) and 0.8 mGy (¹³⁷Cs) (196 days). Internal dose in the other was 3.2-6.1 mGy (¹³⁴Cs) and 1.8-3.4 mGy (¹³⁷Cs) and external dose was 1.3 mGy (¹³⁴Cs) and 0.6 mGy (¹³⁷Cs) (315 days). Sperm morphology and spermatogenesis were within normal ranges. ¹³⁴,¹³⁷Cs radioactivity was detected but Cs was not detectable in the testis by electron probe microanalysis. Thus, adverse radiation-induced effects were not observed in bull testes following chronic exposure to the above levels of radiation for up to 10 months. Since we could analyse a limited number of testes, further investigation on the effects of ionizing radiation on spermatogenesis should be extended to more animals.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Bull epididymal sperm nuclei and acrosomes stained with 4′,6′-diamino-2′-phenylindole (DAPI) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC-PNA).
A. Phase-contrast, B. DAPI-stained, C. FITC-PNA stained, and D. DAPI + FITC-PNA- stained images. Scale bar, 20 μm; magnification, 1000×.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Histological sections of the seminiferous tubules of bull testes.
A, B. Images of control bull testis. C–F. Images of bull exposed to radiation. G, H. Images of seminiferous tubules from foetal testes. Scale bar, 100 μm.
Figure 3
Figure 3. EPMA analysis of bull testis.
A. Control, B. Bull No. 1, C. Bull No. 2, D. Foetus. 1. Stereo-microscopy images of bull testis. 2. Composite backscattered electron microscopy images. 3. Secondary electron colour map image of C (carbon) regions. 4. Corresponding distribution of Mo (molybdenum) obtained for the same section. 5. X-ray colour-coded phase map of Cs (caesium). 6. Corresponding X-ray profiles for K (potassium). Scale bar, 100 μm (50 μm for Figure 3D: 3–6).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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