Radioautography in cellular and molecular biology

A general survey is presented on the most important applications of radioactive compounds as well on fresh as on fixed tissues, with and without immunological reactions, at light and electron microscopic levels. Its goal is to show their flexibility and their extended applications, in comparison with the non-radioactive methods. But radioautography applies as well to non-cellular aspects, such as electrophoretic and chromatographic techniques, permitting a complementary and even more detailed exploration of the molecules investigated at cellular levels. A rapid information is given on the exact denomination of the radioautographic methods, on hybridization in situ and in vitro, on the different blotting techniques used for DNA, RNA and proteins, on semi-quantitation and quantitation of DNA-RNA hybrids, on radioimmunodection by fluorography and on newer filmless radioautographic systems. The organ, body and pharmacological radioautographies belong to the nuclear medicine and have been evocated briefly.