Tissue changes resulting from the injection of gamma-irradiated cells into the gynogenetic teleost, Poecilia formosa.

In previous studies a clone of the gynogenetic fish, Poecilia formosa (the Amazon molly), was successfully used as a test animal to identify ultraviolet-induced damage. This work has been extended, and the fish system was used to detect damage caused byionizing radiation. Fish cells, exposed in vitro to 250 and 500 rads, were injected into young isogenic recipients, and 9 months later the fish were examined grossly and histologically. Two of the most conspicuous changes that resulted were the development of extensive invasive thyroid hyperplasia and hypertrophy body, with an apparent reduction in the amount of hemato-poietic tissue in the head kidney and spleen. We discuss the difference between the responses of the recipient fish to cells exposed to ionizing radiation and to cells exposed to ultraviolet light.