BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF IRRADIATION ON LIVER REGENERATION

Abstract

Little change in the total weight, number of cell nuclei, and amounts of protein, ribonucleic acid, and deoxyribonucleic acid occurs in rat livers after local irradiation of the liver region. However, irradiation of the normal liver before partial hepatectomy does retard subsequent DNA accumulation and increase in number of cell nuclei. These effects appear to be due to a localized action of the radiation on the liver cells. The lag in DNA accumulation is not accompanied by a marked accumulation of acid-soluble purine–deoxyribose derivatives.