Response of Femoral and Vertebral Colony-Forming Units to 226 Ra Internal Contamination in Mice

SVOBODA, V., AND KOFRaNEK, V. Response of Femoral and Vertebral Colony-Forming Units to R Ra Internal Contamination in Mice. Radiat. Res. 64, 467-474 (1975). In mice given intraperitoneally 0.034 pCi of 26Ra/g body weight the peripheral blood counts, marrow cellularity in femora and lumbar vertebrae, and the colony counts and 9Fe uptake in spleens of heavily irradiated hosts after grafting either femoral or vertebral myeloid cells were determined. In mice treated with 0.030 pCi of 'Ra/g the activity per 10 mg of wet bone tissue was computed and the data obtained in femoral ends and diaphyses and in lumbar vertebrae were correlated to the hematological findings. The effect of internally retained 22Ra is manifested by serious changes in femoral and vertebral hemopoiesis and in peripheral blood counts. The vertebral marrow is more seriously damaged as observed in the colony counts and 59Fe uptake in recipient spleens. This unequal response of femoral and vertebral marrow is discussed in relation to the 22Ra activity retained and the area of endosteal surfaces.