Initial studies of hypoxic radioprotection by deoxygenated dextran-hemoglobin.

Initial studies were performed to examine the potential of perfused dextran-hemoglobin to protect pig skin or mouse bone marrow cells against radiation damage. Some protection was indicated in both systems. In the pig skin a protection factor of 1.5 was observed for moist desquamation, and 2.0 for necrosis. These results suggest the possibility of using blood substitutes to induce tissue hypoxia for therapeutic purposes.