Abstract
THE plutonium isotope 239Pu is a known carcinogen but its ability to produce genetic damage has not been so well investigated. The radionuclide is found in gonads after intravenous injection into humans1 and after administration to animals by various routes2. Retention of 239Pu in the gonads is prolonged and the genetic effects there have been estimated on the basis of average dose in the gonads3. Inhomogeneity of distribution of plutonium within gonads has, however, been noted4 giving rise to the possibility that some cells may receive a greater radiation dose than others. No investigations of the effects of this inhomogeneity upon dose-rate to the cells involved in gametogenesis have been reported. Here we report briefly that a non-uniform distribution of 239Pu in the testis results in increased radiation of the spermatogonial stem-cells.
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GREEN, D., HOWELLS, G., HUMPHREYS, E. et al. Localisation of plutonium in mouse testes. Nature 255, 77 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/255077a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/255077a0
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