Cell kinetics and chromosome radiosensitivity of lymphocytes from 4 Cercopithecus species

The harlequin-staining technique has been used to study the cell kinetics and the radiosensitivity of PHA-stimulated lymphocytes from Cercopithecus nictitans. C. aethiops var. cynosorus, C. irus, and C. ascanius. At 48 hours, the fixation time normally used for human lymphocytes, a large heterogeneity appears between the four species, with respect to the incidence of cells in first, second or third mitoses. If analysis of lymphocytes is restricted to Ml dividing cells, the yield of radiation-induced chromosome aberrations does not differ significantly from the incidence observed in irradiated human lymphocytes.