Flow Cytometric Analysis of Thymocyte Subpopulations in Mice after Whole-Body X-Irradiation

Abstract

To determined the cellular kinetics of thymocyte subpopulations in DBA1 mice after whole-body 6.8 Gy X-irradiation, they were analyzed for the expression of several cell surface antigens using flow cytometry. The results show that i) The majority of thymocytes rapidly depleted by irradiation was CD4⁺8⁺ cells. ii) radioresistant CD4⁺8^- and CD4^-8⁺ survived 18-48 hr after X-irradiation were considered to be relatively mature type, since they expressed high levels of CD3 and LECAM-1. iii) CD3-positive cells were detected in CD4^-8^- cells at 72 hr after irradiation.