The radiosensitivity of chromosomes of rabbit lymphocytes

Dicentrics were induced in human and rabbit lymphocytes in vitro by exposure to X-irradiation. The yields were compared with data reported in the literature. To elucidate the reasons for the different findings we have evaluated the parameters for the different models by maximum likelihood methods. From this analysis it can be concluded that the earlier claim of Bajerska and Liniecki [1] that both species have the same radiosensitivity must be discounted, and that their similarity was due to the abnormally low values these investigators observed in irradiated human lymphocytes.