[Investigations on acceleration of processes of differentiation and aging in rats after influence of x-ray (author's transl)].
On the basis of the hypothesis of a relation between the processes of differentiation and aging in connection with the assumption, that ionizing radiation accelerates the aging of organism, the authors investigated the changes in the cellular reaction in organ cultures of the spleen and the kidney, in the pattern of enzymes in the kidney and the liver and moreover the behaviour of the serum protein level. In dependence of the x-ray dosis and the length of time after radiation an acceleration of the processes of maturation and differentiation could be observed with the three above mentioned methods. Changes could be found which were similar to those, observed in adult or senile rats. The latent phase or organ cultures was prolonged as well as the morphology of cells migrating out of the explants did not differ from that of senile donor animals. The chemical differentiation of the kidney is accelerated after radiation. The detected changes were similar to those in adult or senile rats. The increase in the albumin, haptoglobin and transferrin concentrations of juvenile rats following radiation mean an acceleration of development, for these concentrations are attained during normal development. The authors discuss their results with reference to the existing theories of aging.