[Dynamic changes in the trypsin-inhibiting activity in cervical mucus, blood and in the histomorphological structure of the uterus in x-irradiated sheep].

The effect of ionizing radiation on the reproduction organs of ewes was studied after single local irradiation of ovaries with different X-ray doses. Twenty two ewes of the Slovak Merino breed at the age of two years and at the average live weight of 30 kg were divided into four test groups to be irradiated with the following doses: Group I (n = 6) 4.78 Gy (500 R), group II (n = 6) 9.67 Gy (1000 R), group III (n = 6) 19.14 Gy (2000 R). The ewes of the fourth group were used as the control; they were only laparotomized, otherwise left intact. The trypsin-inhibiting activity of blood plasma and cervical mucus was determined from the retardation of the hydrolysis of low-molecular substrate (TAPA); the thickness of the epithelium of uterine body and cervix was measured microscopically after fixing and staining. The dynamics of changes in the TIA of cervical mucus, in percentual expression, showed differences when measured in the course of 10, 30 and 100 days (1.84 K, aver. for 1st-10th day: 1 = 2.1; 2 = 1.7; 3 = 1.7; 4 = 2.5. Aver. for 10th-30th days: 1 = 1.8; 2 = 1.7; 3 = 1.8; 4 = 1.0. Aver. for 30th-100th day: 1 = 1.7; 2 = 1.1; 3 = 1.2; 4 = 1.5). The dynamics of changes in the thickness of the epithelium of endometrium, uterine horns and uterine cervix had a different nature. A hundred days from irradiation the values showed little difference.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)