[The autoregulation of intracellular oxygen tension and the modification of cellular radiosensitivity. The development of an adaptation hypothesis].

A hypothesis is reported postulating that the range within which the intracellular oxygen content varies with changes in the external oxygenation conditions is responsible for the oxygen-dependent radiosensitivity modification that may be controlled by the diffusion resistance of a cytoplasmic membrane. The adaptation mechanism of intracellular Po2 autoregulation is involved when drastic changes in the oxygen content of the environment occur. As the oxygen content decreases this mechanism provides maximal values of the intracellular Po2 required for optimizing cell viability; the increased oxygen content prevents cells from oxygen intoxication.