Cell-cycle and Radiosensitivity of the Chromosomes of Human Leukocytes

Abstract

Cultures of human peripheral leukocytes were irradiated in the different stages of the cell-cycle, i.e. G1, S and G2. The data show the G2 cells had more aberrations /unit dose than cells in S or G1, and G1 cells had more 2 break aberrations. These apparent variations in stage sensitivity are interpreted as resulting from spatial relations of the chromosomes in the interphase nucleus and not from differences in the sensitivity of the chromosome strand to breakage.