The effects of low doses of ionizing radiation upon the micromorphology and functional state of cell surface.

The cellular membrane as one of the targets of ionizing radiation might play an important role in the development and modification of radiation-induced alterations after low doses. The present paper reviews the micromorphological and functional changes of plasma membranes of irradiated blood and cultured cells with special emphasis on the surface conditions: lectin binding, negative surface charges. The review is completed by our own studies on distribution of positive surface charges and the bindings of two lectins, the Concanavalin A and the wheat germ agglutinin. It was found that the decrease of negative surface charges is unconcomitant with appearance of domains exposing positive ones, particularly on the surfaces of rufflings. The distribution of Concanavalin A binding sites turned from a uniform distribution to a polarized one, especially on apical regions where it appeared in large aggregates. The polarity in localization of wheat germ agglutinin on untreated fibroblasts observed in our experiments ceased shortly after irradiation.