CELLULAR EFFECTS OF IMAGE DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND ON MURINE SPERMATOGENESIS MONITORED BY FLOW-CYTOMETRY

A study has been carried out to evaluate the possible cellular effects induced by image diagnostic ultrasound on murine spermatogenetic cells. Exposure to ultrasound was carried out using a commercial diagnostic instrument that operates in B-mode. Male hybrid F1 mice, aged 8-10 weeks, were exposed to ultrasound for 30 min and observed from 7 to 35 days after treatment. Flow cytometric analysis has been used to monitor the relative frequency of the different types of spermatogenetic cells. This analytical approach showed changes in cell frequency in the compartment containing elongated spermatids which was used as an endpoint. A statistically significant decrease in the frequency of this cell type was observed 21, 28 and 35 days after exposure. These changes suggest that there may be a cytotoxic and/or cytostatic effect on spermatocytes and spermatogonia. These results showed that image diagnostic ultrasound induces effects on murine spermatogenesis at cellular level and that the flow cytometric approach makes it possible to identify quantitative cellular changes with reference to specific cell type.