ABSTRACT
The present work reviews the long-standing results of investigations by authors and literary data. The peculiar form of a tissue post-irradiative reaction characterizing by massive, dose-independent transition of cell populations to the steady state modification with the essential raise of cell damage and cell loss probability as compared with the probability level of the same alterations in control was examined. Some other demonstrations of this type of cellular transformations were described. It was found that the indicated cellular condition occurred both in active and slowly proliferating tissues. The reaction occurred at relatively low doses of irradiation. Some nonmutagenic factors may also induce such effects. The authors' experimental data allow a supposition of epigenetic mechanisms taking part in the induction and preservation of these alterations. The discovered form of the cellular reaction manifested in different biological objects may be considered as a general biological tendency. The importance of the studied reaction for pathogenesis of late consequences of low dose irradiation is discussed.
