Histological effects of low-dose-rate gamma irradiation. III. Electron-microscopic observations in rat spleen

As an effect of 400 and 1000 rd low (0.59 to 0.73 rd/min) and high (60 to 78 rd/min) dose-rate gamma irradiation an expressive accumulation of autophagous vacuoles can be observed in electron-microscopic sections of rat spleen. The number of autophagous vacuoles seemed higher in the group exposed to lower dose-rate of irradiation. This observation is in agreement with the results of the former experiments which indicated that after low-dose-rate irradiation the damaged cells show an increased tendency to repair.