Action of low doses of ionizing radiations on the electrophoretic mobility of Ehrlich ascites tumour cells.

Abstract

When standard washed Ehrlich ascites tumor cells were irradiated with small doses of gamma or x rays, it was found that as the dose increased, the electrophoretic mobility also increased up to a maximum value. Standard washed cells which were irradiated prior to washing in the presence of ascitic fluid immediately after its withdrawal from the mouse gave the same results, as also did washed cells which were obtained from a mouse immediately after it was subjected to various doses of whole-body irradiation. When irradiation, at a dose-rate of 60 rads/min., was carried beyond 450 to 600 rads, the electrophoretic mobility was observed to decrease to a minimum at 900 rads, slightly lower than the value for the unirradiated controls. On further increase of the dose, the mobility increased to a new maximum at 1200 rads, equal to that obtained at 600 rads. Thereafter the mobility decreased again, reaching another minimum at about 1500 rads. The increase due to radiation was the same as that previously obtained with formaldehyde. (M.C.G.)