Effect on Lymphocytes of Ionizing Radiation

Abstract

THE increasing use of radioactive material makes the biological assay of the effects of ionizing radiation of importance. Lymphocytes are agreed to be the most sensitive mammalian cells available for the study of such effects; Trowell¹ has recently published his findings using whole animals and organs. Elsewhere, one of us² has described a method whereby human cells can be maintained alive for periods up to fourteen days without the elaboration of traditional tissue culture technique. All that is needed is 3 per cent agar in distilled water, of which 1 c.c. is added to 2 c.c. of equal parts of human serum and Tyrode's solution. Small squares of agar are cut out of poured plates, and mounted on microscope slides. If human lymph glands are scraped with a scalpel, the resultant juice may be planted on this agar; a cover-slip is applied and the preparation is sealed with paraffin wax. The lymphocytes move actively at 37° C., and several types of cells may be recognized; some of these proceed readily to mitosis.