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Published on: May 7, 2021
Alpha-particle radiobiological experiments using thin CR-39 detectors
K F Chan1, S Y M Siu, K E McClella
1Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.
Abstract:
The present paper studied the feasibility of applying comet assay to evaluate the DNA damage in individual HeLa cervix cancer cells after alpha-particle irradiation. We prepared thin CR-39 detectors (<20 microm) as cell-culture substrates, with UV irradiation to shorten the track formation time. After irradiation of the HeLa cells by alpha particles, the tracks on the underside of the CR-39 detector were developed by chemical etching in (while floating on) a 14 N KOH solution at 37 degrees C. Comet assay was then applied. Diffusion of DNA out of the cells could be generally observed from the images of stained DNA. The alpha-particle tracks corresponding to the comets developed on the underside of the CR-39 detectors could also be observed by just changing the focal plane of the confocal microscope.
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