[en] The method of flow cytofluorometry and biochemical analysis were used to study the pattern and kinetics of the postirradiation death of proliferating BW5147 lymphoid cells. Irradiation with a dose of 10 Gy was shown to induce thymoma cell death by apoptosis. Radiation-induced synchronous transfer of part of cells from G₁ to S-stage and blocking of all cells at G₂/M stages of the cell cycle preceded the cell death. Decreasing of the growth factor content in a medium through its depletion or cultivation in conditions of low serum content accelerated cell death. A possible relationship between cell death and proliferation is discussed