An ultrastructural study of the effects of x-irradiation on the oral epithelium of the rat: qualitative aspects.

Adult male rats of Simonsen strain were given a dose of 5000 r at 50 peak KV of x-irradiation directed at the lower lip, which was everted through a hole in a lead rubber cylinder shielding the head and body of the animal. Light and electron microscopic observations were made on specimens of lip oral mucosa from animals killed at 2, 6, 26 and 50 h and at 12 days after irradiation. The experimental model met the aim of permitting the study of the sequential effects of high dose of irradiation without causing ulceration of the mucosa. Widespread degenerative changes were noted in the basal cells as early as 2 h after x-irradiation, increasing in degree up to 50 h. They included inflation of the outer nuclear envelope and rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) with loss of ribosomes, swelling of mitochondria and disarrangement of cristae evident at 2 h, followed at 6 h by swelling of nucleus and cytoplasm and 26 h by frank membrane breaks. Irreversible degrees of damage were noted in a small though growing minority of cells. Immediate mobilization of the Golgi-lysosomal system was evident as an increase in size of the zone, maximal at 2 h, and subsequent autophagic activity. Signs of recovery, beginning at 26 h, were noted in nuclear envelope, RER, intercellular space, and in mitotic activity by 50 h. Virtually complete recovery was seen at 12 days. It is held that the successful confinement of irradiation to a small tissue volume, the effective activity of the lysosomal system and the short epithelial turnover time were important factors in limiting the damage and in permitting recovery.