A Study Proves the Bystander Effect on Unradiated Cells
For some time now, there has been a debate on the “bystander effect”, in which a radiation damaged cell signaled nearby cells in some manner, causing up to 50 more cells to become damaged as well. Many studies pointed to the possiblity, but this new study is the first to actually find proof of the injured, unradiated cells.
The researchers too mice, used a lead shield to protect the head from Radiation, then zapped them with radiation. Brain tumors were found in higher levels than the control mice, until a chemical that prevents cells from communicating was injected in one of the batches of mice. Those mice did not have a higher level of brain tumors.
The importance of this study is that it will lead other researchers to duplicate the results, and if that happens, the dose/risk rates of radiation will tumble to new lows. What we think as safe will become known as not safe, leading to a lower acceptable radiation exposure level. Of course exposure levels have been dropping every few years since they were establised in the forties. No surprise that it should happen again.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
