Biophysical study of mice blood after whole body irradiation

The immediate of whole body fractionated doses of Cs-137 gamma rays totalling 13 Gy on mice as well as the late effects of accumulative dose of 10 Gy (8 days after exposure) were studied. Changes due to gamma irradiation in hemoglobin conductivity and buffer capacity indicate the appearance of hydrophobic groups and changes in hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio. These changes demonstrate different degrees of unfolding and refolding of the hemoglobin molecule. The viscosity coefficient of hemoglobin is found to increase at fractionated doses of 7 and 13 Gy. Such effect seems to be due to aggregation of the protein part of hemoglobin. The fractionated dose of 13 Gy causes changes in the electronic state of oxyhemoglobin indicated by an increase in methemoglobin which reduces biological activity.