Effects of Low-Level X-Irradiation on Oxygen Consumption of Bullfrog Erythrocytes

¹ From the Department of Physiology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio

The respiration of nucleated erythrocytes from bullfrogs (Rana catesbiana) was determined following exposure to either 25 r or 60 r x-irradiation. Using the Warburg technique, the rate of oxygen consumption of 50% cell suspensions was studied at either 25°C or 30°C. A decrease of 5°C in the incubation temperature produced a marked decrease (approximately 20%) in oxygen consumption of both nonirradiated and irradiated erythrocytes. There was a 10–15% inhibition in oxygen consumption at an incubation temperature of 30°C following both 25 r and 60 r. At 25° there was a 14% depression following 60 r but no significant change after 25 r. The radiation effect was modified by both time and temperature factors indicating that these factors are related to the expression, rather than to the extent, of radiation injury. Consistent correlations between dose and radiation effect have been established.

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