Possible association of membrane and nuclear changes in gamma-irradiated rat thymocytes

gamma-irradiated rat thymocytes were incubated in medium containing fresh rat serum. After 6 hours in culture, an equal dose dependency was noted for nuclear pyknosis and the loss of surface receptors to autologous erythrocytes. Decreased rosette formation preceded the expression of pyknosis. A possible relation between the membrane changes and pyknosis during interphase death of the thymocytes is discussed.