Cytoplasmic effects of x-irradiation on cultured cells in a nondividing stage. 1. Establishment of an experimental model.

The investigation was initiated with the aim of establishing a suitable experimental model with respect to mode of radiation and radiation dose for elucidating morphologically the sequential development of radiation induced damage of interphase cells (human glia cells in vitro). Adequately defined and reproducible cellular changes were obtained using X-radiation generated by an 8 MeV linear accelerator at a dose of 20,000 rad. The cellular alterations were studied in the light microscope and by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The most conspicuous changes--first appreciable about 5 hours after irradiation--occurred in the lysosomal vacuome, and the plasma membrane and associated structures.