Cellular radiation effects and the bystander response
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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

A Co-culture Method to Investigate the Crosstalk Between X-ray Irradiated Caco-2 Cells and PBMC
Published on: January 30, 2018
1Center for Radiation Sciences and Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. jlittle@hsph.harvard.edu
Abstract:
This report reviews briefly some of the findings reported over the past 2 years that enhance our understanding of the radiation-induced bystander effect. These developments include: technicological advances; the role of oxidative stress; the effect of cytoplasmic irradiation; cell-to-cell communication; and evidence that Connexin 43 mediated intercellular communication is induced by radiation exposure. A few overriding unanswered questions are discussed. These include: what is the signal(s) transmitted from irradiated to bystander cells; what is the relationship between the bystander response and other non-targeted effects of radiation; are there beneficial effects associated with the bystander response; and what is the significance of the bystander effect for radiation protection?
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