Cellular damage and recovery of the early developing mouse eye following low dose irradiation. II. X-rays on day 9 of gestation.

Mouse embryos on day 9 of gestation were exposed in utero to 90 rad X-rays. At different time intervals after treatment the eye primordia were examined for cell death. The irradiation caused an altered necrosis pattern compared with day 8, and massive cell killing during a limited time period. The rapid recovery from the pronounced damage points to a high restitution efficiency of the involved tissue.