Radiation Sensitivity of DNA Molecules in Situ in Normal and Neoplastic Tissues of Mice

Abstract

The sensitivity to radiation of DNA molecules in situ in various tissues was estimated by alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation. The sensitivity of DNA in liver, thymus, spleen and cerebellum was of the same order of magnitude. The oxygen enhancement ratios of DNA in spleen, thymus and cerebellum were all approximately 3. Sensitivity of DNA molecules in the tumor was about half of that in normal tissues, probably because of its hypoxicity.