Microspectrophotometric quantitation of nucleic acid and protein in irradiated epidermis

Nucleic acid and proteins of newborn rat tail subjected to local X-irradiation were microspectrophotometrically studied. Feulgen, gallocyanine chrom-alum and naphthol yellow S methods were performed for demonstration of DNA, total nucleic acid and proteins respectively. The amount of proteins and total nucleic acid increases concomitantly with reactional acanthosis. However, the proteins and nucleic acid decrease as from day 3 post-irradiation. A tentative interpretation of the results would point to a giantization of the epidermic cells not only caused by aqueous imbition but also by an actual increase of the cellular protoplasm.