[en] The responsiveness of peripheral blood lymphocytes to allogenic antigens in mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) was measured in 139 atomic bomb survivors. The study revealed a significant decrease in MLC with increasing dose of previous radiation exposure. This decline was remarkable in the survivors who were older than 15 at the time of the bomb (ATB). The results suggest a possible relationship between the recovery of T-cell-related function and the thymic function which processes mature T-cells for the immune system. Thus it may be that, in the advanced age ATB group, the thymus function has started to involute allowing less recovery of T-cell function compared to young survivors who have adequate processing T-cell activity. (author)