[Ultrastructural changes in the hepatocytes of dogs continuously exposed to chronic low-dose gamma irradiation].

Electron microscopy of the liver of dogs exposed to chronic 6-year gamma-irradiation from the CO60 source demonstrated early changes in the hepatocyte structure at a relatively low dosage of 63 rad for 3 years. A comparative study of the submicroscopic reaction of hepatocytes of 3 groups of test dogs showed pronounced changes in the endoplasmatic reticulum: vacuolar transformation balloon dystrophy. The heterogeneity of ultrastructural changes of different hepatocytes was probably associated with a simultaneous development of processes of injury, reparation and adaptation of intracellular structures during the long-term gamma-irradiation exposure. Parallel development of these processes assured reparative biosynthesis to maintain the normal hepatic function.