Modification of Radiation Injury in the Rabbit

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Rabbits of uniform age and weight were exposed to 900 r total-body X-radiation (LD90/30 days). Four hours later they were given an intravenous injection of a freshly prepared suspension of hematopoietic cells from 16-day mouse embryo liver or from the liver or spleen of baby mice. The total number of mouse hematopoietic cells injected into each rabbit ranged from 25 to 250 x 106. Observations were made on hematologic recovery and survival of the recipient X-irradiated animals and appropriate controls. No significant difference was noted in the hematopoietic recovery of control irradiated or irradiated hematopoietic-cell-injected rabbits. However, the survival of the irradiated rabbits that received mouse cell injections was significantly increased. Of 37 irradiated rabbits injected with mouse cells 62% survived whereas of 59 controls 10% survived beyond the 120 days of observation. These observations provide further evidence that hematopoietic tissue from one species (mouse) is capable of increasing the survival of animals of another species (rabbit) following total-body X-irradiation in the lethal range.