Cytogenetic alterations induced by radiation in amniocytes

Ana Salomé Pires; Marta Pinto; Paula Silveira; Ana Filipa Brito; Sérgio Fonseca; Ismael Castro; Sílvia Dias; Ana Luísa Cunha; Marisa Ferreira; Marta Zambetti; Maria do Carmo Lopes; Isabel Marques Carreira; Maria Filomena Botelho

Ana Salomé Pires Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra
Marta Pinto Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra
Paula Silveira Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra
Ana Filipa Brito Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra
Sérgio Fonseca Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra
Ismael Castro Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra
Sílvia Dias Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra
Ana Luísa Cunha Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra
Marisa Ferreira Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra
Marta Zambetti Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra
Maria do Carmo Lopes Centro Regional de Oncologia de Coimbra
Isabel Marques Carreira Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra
Maria Filomena Botelho Fac. Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra

Resumo

When cells are submitted to ionizing radiation, they respond with physico-chemical phenomena like ionization/excitation of atoms and energy distribution over the cells, chemical reactions with formation of free radicals and rupture of chemical bonds and biological alterations leading to specific changes of cellular functions with decrease of cellular activity. Therefore, both tissues and organs are affected through direct and indirect effects. Among these effects, the interaction of radiation with chromosomes is a critical step since they contain the cell’s genetic information. (...)