STUDY ON MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF OVARIES IN MICE EXPOSED TO 60CO GAMMA RAY IRRADIATIONHISTOGENESIS OF INTERSTITIAL CELLS IN AN EARLY STAGE

摘要

The female mice aged 6 to 7 weeks were exposed to a single dose of 400 R irradiation and the morphological changes of their ovaries were observed until the seventh week after irradiation. In the early period after irradiation the primary follicle had disappeared and the other matured follicles were degenerated to turn into atretic follicles at 5 weeks after irradiation. The theca interna cells of the atretic follicles were proliferated and mixed with the surrounding interstitial cells. Any morphological differences could not be discerned between the theca interna cells and the interstitial cells. Both of them were identified as a cell of steroid hormone producing type. Therefore it was suggested that the theca interna cells of the atretic follicle transformed into the interstitial cells.