Cell-cycle and Radiosensitivity of the Chromosomes of Human Leukocytes

Summary

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 per unit dose than cells in S or G₁, and G₁ cells had more two-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.