Dose-response relationship of reciprocal translocation of chromosomes in spermatogonia in mice induced by low doses of X rays

The frequencies of reciprocal translocation of chromosomes in spermatogonia were observed in mice at 60 days after a single whole-body irradiation with 0, 0.05, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 or 1.00 Gy of X rays (at a dose rate of 0.05 Gy/min). The results show that the frequency of translocation (Y) increases with the doses of radiation (D) and the data can be fitted to a linear regression model Y = 0.12 + 1.94 D. For mice, the frequency of reciprocal translocation of chromosomes in spermatogonia is 50 per cent of that for human by comparison with data from man