Chromosome aberrations and culture time

Abstract

Leukocytes from 17 A-bomb-exposed survivors and 10 control persons of the same age group were cultured for two and three days. Among the controls, aberrations other than single or isochromatid lesions were seen in 0.6 % of cells at two days of culture and in 0.8% of cells at three days of culture. Among the exposed, 7.0% of cells cultured for two days had these aberrations, which were seen in 8.7% of cells cultured for three days. Six cytogenetically aberrant clones were found in 5 of the 17 exposed survivors. Four of these were detectable on the basis of the two-day culture results alone. Since our previous studies of 171 heavily exposed survivors, using the 66 to 70 h culture time, had enabled us to detect only four clone-formers, it appears that the shorter culture time enhances clone detection.