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Ionising radiations and cell metabolism
I o ~ i s l n g l ~ d l a t l o n s mad Cell M e t a b o l i s m . A Ciba Foundation Symposium. Edited by G. E. W. WOLSTENHOLME and CECILIA M. O'CONNOR, J. and A. Churchill, London, 1956. 318 pp. 45s.
student and the clinician who is concerned with the practical clinical application of various radioisotopes. Following a complete reproduction of the regulations and requirements which must be met in the establishment of an isotope laboratory and the application of ONE of the basic questions in radiobiology is radioisotopes to h u m a n use in the U.S.A., there is a whether radiation damage to the cell is primarily of section devoted to the essential physical quantities structure or of process. In either case, metabolic involved and the way in which nuclear radiations disturbances must ensue. This volume surveys may be detected and measured. recent work in this field, often in a most pertinent Four chapters are devoted to the use of iodine-131 manner. It records the proceedings of a small in the study of thyroid function and in the diagnosis symposium held in M a r c h 1956 and of the high and treatment of thyroid disease. As a preliminary standard now expected of the Ciba Foundation. to the more technical applications, an entire chapter W h e n a biochemist refers to 8000 r as a comparatively is devoted to thyroid physiology, the relation of the small dose of radiation (p. 60), the biologist is apt thyroid hormone to the endocrine system generally, to smile, but recent findings have suggested that and the effects of specific drugs on thyroid action. O n only a few tens of roentgens are needed to produce this basis the subsequent discussions of tests of detectible changes in DNA. The biological relevance thyroid function and the other uses of radio-iodine in of this must still be in doubt, because nuclear thyroid disease are presented in much more precise control of metabolic processes seems normally to be perspective than is usually the case. at one or two removes (BRACHET). Correlation of A separate chapter is devoted to the various clinical in vitro and in vivo effects depends on a knowledge of uses of iodine-131 other than those concerned with submicroscopic cellular organization (DALE), which the thyroid gland and its functions. Here the applicaemphasizes how ambitious it is to attempt to explain tions are largely those dealing with the use of a tag radiation damage in biochemical terms. for protein which may be followed functionally in It is clearly m u c h more widely appreciated than various regions of the body. it used to be, that biochemical changes cannot be Radioactive phosphorus is given a separate chapter, interpreted without parallel microscopic observations. as is also the case with radioactive gold. These T h e r e is no confirmed example of a change in isotopes, which have had extensive use in clinical enzymatic activity preceding visible cellular change medicine, have been very useful in a limited number (PIRIE). Surveys included such generally important of situations. The limitations of the uses are explicitly fields as protein synthesis, D N A synthesis, biostated and the rationale of the applications in particuchemical reactions during cell division, pacemakers lar diseases has been generally clearly developed. of metabolic processes. It seems to the reviewer, The remaining isotopes are covered in two however, that the effects of ionizing radiation on chapters, chromium, cobalt, and iron in the radiocellular metabolism are not likely to be based on active forms being described in applications in hemaprocesses c o m m o n to all living matter. T h e amounts of radiation required to damage different kinds of tology. These are tools of remarkable precision in the functional measurements upon which modern cells, even in the same organism, may differ by concepts of blood dyscrasias depend. Again, not several orders of magnitude: the biochemical only the techniques but the phyisological bases for lesion should therefore be closely linked to the metabolic differences between different types of the procedures have been stated. The fact that all of the remaining isotopes are concell rather than to what they have in common. sidered in a single chapter of incidental notes is R. H. MOLE probably an indication of the comparatively undeveloped state of our knowledge in this field. As an example, approximately one page of text is devoted to tritium, the radioactive isotope of WILLIAM H. BEIERWALTES, PHILIP C. JOHNSON, and hydrogen, and this concerns the measurement of body ARTHUR J . SOLAIU: C l i n i c a l U s e o f R a d i o water, an important application. However, it is i s o t o p e s , W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, probably true that, along with carbon-14, tritium will 1957. 457 pp. 80s. 6d. become one of the most valuable of isotopes for the THIS well-organlzed and clearly written volume is tagging of complex compounds for diagnostic purdesigned to serve the needs of both the medical poses. It is a fair prediction that one of the measures 124
student and the clinician who is concerned with the practical clinical application of various radioisotopes. Following a complete reproduction of the regulations and requirements which must be met in the establishment of an isotope laboratory and the application of ONE of the basic questions in radiobiology is radioisotopes to h u m a n use in the U.S.A., there is a whether radiation damage to the cell is primarily of section devoted to the essential physical quantities structure or of process. In either case, metabolic involved and the way in which nuclear radiations disturbances must ensue. This volume surveys may be detected and measured. recent work in this field, often in a most pertinent Four chapters are devoted to the use of iodine-131 manner. It records the proceedings of a small in the study of thyroid function and in the diagnosis symposium held in M a r c h 1956 and of the high and treatment of thyroid disease. As a preliminary standard now expected of the Ciba Foundation. to the more technical applications, an entire chapter W h e n a biochemist refers to 8000 r as a comparatively is devoted to thyroid physiology, the relation of the small dose of radiation (p. 60), the biologist is apt thyroid hormone to the endocrine system generally, to smile, but recent findings have suggested that and the effects of specific drugs on thyroid action. O n only a few tens of roentgens are needed to produce this basis the subsequent discussions of tests of detectible changes in DNA. The biological relevance thyroid function and the other uses of radio-iodine in of this must still be in doubt, because nuclear thyroid disease are presented in much more precise control of metabolic processes seems normally to be perspective than is usually the case. at one or two removes (BRACHET). Correlation of A separate chapter is devoted to the various clinical in vitro and in vivo effects depends on a knowledge of uses of iodine-131 other than those concerned with submicroscopic cellular organization (DALE), which the thyroid gland and its functions. Here the applicaemphasizes how ambitious it is to attempt to explain tions are largely those dealing with the use of a tag radiation damage in biochemical terms. for protein which may be followed functionally in It is clearly m u c h more widely appreciated than various regions of the body. it used to be, that biochemical changes cannot be Radioactive phosphorus is given a separate chapter, interpreted without parallel microscopic observations. as is also the case with radioactive gold. These T h e r e is no confirmed example of a change in isotopes, which have had extensive use in clinical enzymatic activity preceding visible cellular change medicine, have been very useful in a limited number (PIRIE). Surveys included such generally important of situations. The limitations of the uses are explicitly fields as protein synthesis, D N A synthesis, biostated and the rationale of the applications in particuchemical reactions during cell division, pacemakers lar diseases has been generally clearly developed. of metabolic processes. It seems to the reviewer, The remaining isotopes are covered in two however, that the effects of ionizing radiation on chapters, chromium, cobalt, and iron in the radiocellular metabolism are not likely to be based on active forms being described in applications in hemaprocesses c o m m o n to all living matter. T h e amounts of radiation required to damage different kinds of tology. These are tools of remarkable precision in the functional measurements upon which modern cells, even in the same organism, may differ by concepts of blood dyscrasias depend. Again, not several orders of magnitude: the biochemical only the techniques but the phyisological bases for lesion should therefore be closely linked to the metabolic differences between different types of the procedures have been stated. The fact that all of the remaining isotopes are concell rather than to what they have in common. sidered in a single chapter of incidental notes is R. H. MOLE probably an indication of the comparatively undeveloped state of our knowledge in this field. As an example, approximately one page of text is devoted to tritium, the radioactive isotope of WILLIAM H. BEIERWALTES, PHILIP C. JOHNSON, and hydrogen, and this concerns the measurement of body ARTHUR J . SOLAIU: C l i n i c a l U s e o f R a d i o water, an important application. However, it is i s o t o p e s , W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, probably true that, along with carbon-14, tritium will 1957. 457 pp. 80s. 6d. become one of the most valuable of isotopes for the THIS well-organlzed and clearly written volume is tagging of complex compounds for diagnostic purdesigned to serve the needs of both the medical poses. It is a fair prediction that one of the measures 124