RADIATION DAMAGE IN MUSCLE CELL MEMBRANES AND REGULATION OF CELL METABOLISM

Abstract

Effects of 100,000r doses on striated frog muscles include prolonged relaxation time, more rapid fatigue, and decreased ATP and glycogen content, but increased potassium and sodium effluxes, sodium influx and oxygen consumption, compared with non-irradiated controls. Twitch latency and rise time are not changed. Magnesium-ACTIVATED ATPase activity of homogenates or mitochondrial suspensions decreases immediately after irradiation, but increases with time more rapidly than in controls. Biochemical findings suggest uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation; ion flux data suggest increased membrane permeability. This leads to the hypothesis that irradiation results in sarcoplasma membrane damage, thereby increasing ion permeabilities, and mitochondrial structure damage, thereby interfering with oxidative hosphorylation and reducing ATP production. A 90% decrease in membrane potential during irradiation has already been reported. The observed increases in Na and K fluxes after irradiation explain these findings. At these radiation levels, our data do not require any hypothesis of early direct damage to the contractile mechanism per se.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1962
Accession Number
AD0296449

Entities

People

  • Adolfo Portela
  • Juan Carlos Perez

Organizations

  • Emory University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acids
  • Cell Membrane
  • Cells
  • Electron Microscopes
  • Electron Transfer
  • Electrons
  • Glycogen
  • Glycolysis
  • Government Procurement
  • Membrane Potentials
  • Muscle Cells
  • Muscles
  • Phosphorylation
  • Radiation
  • Radiation Effects
  • Relaxation Time
  • X Rays

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Nuclear and Radiation Engineering.