Cellular Effects of Ionizing Radiation

Radiation ModifiersA variety of substances have been shown to alter lethal effects when present in cells before or during irradiation. They can be logically thought of in two classes: compounds offering protection against the effects of radiation; and compounds sensitizing cells to irradiation. Oxygen is perhaps the most important example in the latter group. While considering the major groups of modifiers of current interest, I shall not discuss alterations in survival produced by postirradiation treatment of cells; these effects involve either intracellular repair processes or the metabolic development of the initial damage. Examples of such treatments include postirradiation changes . . .