
radiation effects renal enlargement in the mouse
three hours following unilateral
nephrectomy weanling female cf-1 mice were
subjected to local abdominal or total body
exposure to either 500 or 600 r.  other
groups were given 1350 r to half the abdomen
with and without prior nephrectomy.  signifi-
cant decreases in renal weight gain compared
to controls were obtained in the 600 r total
body group and in the locally irradiated ani-
mals given 1350 r.  when the renal weight
changes are compared on the basis of the
ratio of renal weight to body weight in per
cent, an increase from .64% to .95% is seen
in animals subjected to nephrectomy alone.
the final value in all of the irradiated and
nephrectomized groups was similar, ranging
from .93% to 1.0%.  the results suggest that
irradiation in these dose ranges does not
exert a direct inhibitory effect on renal weight
increase but it limits body weight gain which
influences kidney weight.
