Cell-culture studies on neurofibromatosis (von Recklinghausen's disease). III. Experiments on X-ray sensitivity.

The X-ray sensitivity of strains of fibroblast-like cells derived from peripheral neurofibromas of ten patients with neurofibromatosis was compared with that of 12 strains of skin fibroblasts derived from healthy donors. Quantitative parameters of the dose-dependent reduction in colony-forming ability did not differ significantly between these two groups of strains. The cloning efficiencies of nonirradiated controls varied within the same range in strains derived from patients and from healthy donors.