Function of Parotid Gland Following Irradiation and Its Relation to Biological Parameters

Abstract

The function of the parotid gland in the mouse (synthesis and secretion of .alpha.-amylase) following X-irradiation was analyzed in relation to the parameters of surviving acinar cell fraction, DNA or protein content, and wet wt of the gland. Synthesis and secretion of amylase in parotid were essentially unchanged when mice were irradiated with a dose of up to 3000 rad. When mice were irradiated and then given a proliferative stimulus of isoproterenol, latent lethal damage in the acinar cell population resulted in cell degeneration in a dose-dependent manner. The mean value of amylase activity per gland in similarly treated parotids was totally unaffected. The relationship between amylase activity per gland and the other biological parameters was analyzed by regression analysis. Amylase activity per surviving acinar cell apparently increased proportionately to compensate for the loss of acinar cells.