Chromosome Aberrations of the Peripheral Lymphocytes in Rabbits Exposed to Single and Fractionated Whole-Body X-irradiations

• Published in: Journal of radiation research Vol. 19; no. 2; pp. 108 - 114
• Main Authors: TAMURA, HIROAKI, SAKURAI, MASAHARU, SUGAHARA, TSUTOMU
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 1978
• Subjects: Animals; Chromosome Aberrations; In Vitro Techniques; Lymphocytes - radiation effects; Rabbits; Radiation Dosage
• ISSN: 0449-3060; 1349-9157
• DOI: 10.1269/jrr.19.108

The changes in the frequency of peripheral lymphocytes with chromosome aberrations were observed during or after irradiation of rabbits exposed to fractionated or single whole-body irradiations. In rabbits given daily fractionated whole-body irradiations the incidence of the aberrations showed a linear increase in the first week ; however, the incidence decreased thereafter though exposures were repeated. The lymphocyte count tended to decrease as the number of irradiations increased. In rabbits exposed to a single dose of 250 R or 500 R the incidence of aberrations rapidly decreased over a period of 10 days following irradiation, and then showed a little change thereafter. The lymphocyte count in the peripheral blood reached a nadir 2-5 days after irradiation, and then started to increase gradually. It was speculated that there are two types of lymphocytes, long-lived and short-lived, in the peripheral blood of rabbits, both of which are PHA-committed.