Radiosensitivity of normal, regenerating and embryonic epithelium of the eye cornea in mice

A quantitative cytogenetic study was performed with regard to the effect of X-rays on normal and regenerating epithelia of the eye cornea in adult and newborn C57Bl mice. The regenerating and embryonic epithelia were shown to be more stable than the normal epithelium in adult mice. This phenomenon was revealed in considerably shorter blocking of mitoses after irradiation and in lesser number of cells with chromosomal aberrations. The resultant data showed the radiosensitivity of the tissue with various functional states to have been determined by structural and metabolic features, rather than by proliferation intensity