Dose-effect of x-rays on isolated in vitro adrenal glands of 5-day-old rats, transplanted into the anterior eye-chamber of adrenalectomized infantile hosts.

Abstract

SummaryDoses of x-rays above 10 000 r applied to isolated and irradiated in vitro adrenal glands in covered petri dishes will kill all the cells of adrenal cortex of 5-day-old rats. This is evident when x-irradiated glands are transplanted into non-irradiated adrenalectomized rats immediately after irradiation.Doses of 5000 r and 7000 r will occasionally spare a few cells of the germinative zone of the cortex. These cells, though unable to divide and heavily damaged, are still capable of some functional activity, as demonstrated by the length of survival of their respective hosts.The dose of 3000 r will destroy the inner layers of the cortex, but the germinative layer, though clearly affected by the rays, will show considerable mitotic activity of cells in about 50 per cent of treated glands.Adrenalectomized recipients with recovered grafts retain their sexual potencies unimpaired.Evidence has been obtained showing that the cells of the zona glomerulosa of the cortical layer and of the adrenal capsule exposed in vitro to 3000 r in a covered petri dish and grafted into non-irradiated adrenalectomized rats are capable of preserving their capacity to divide mitotically, which the cells of irradiated and cultivated in vitro glands or the cells of the gland in situ of a whole-body irradiated animal cannot do.