Action of chronic irradiation on the cytogenetic damage of human lymphocyte culture.

The action of chronic irradiation (dose rate 2.9 Gy/day) on human lymphocyte culture was investigated. Whole blood was irradiated at 37 degrees C. Aliquots (0.2 ml) of whole blood were cultivated by the standard method. A medium containing phytohemagglutinin was added immediately after irradiation. All structural chromosome- and chromatid-type changes were recorded. The experimental data showed that the conditions of irradiation of lymphocytes affected neither the background level of chromosome damage nor their radiosensitivity. The obtained dose-response curve of chromosome aberrations was described by a linear regression, which then became a plateau. There is no statistically significant difference between the results for the low doses (10-50 cGy) of chronic and acute radiation.