Irradiation of single mammalian cells with a precise number of energetic heavy ions; Applications of microbeams for studying cellular radiation response

Kobayashi, Yasuhiko; Funayama, Tomoo; Wada, Seiichi; Taguchi, Mitsumasa; Watanabe, Hiroshi

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 210(1-4), p.308 - 311, 2003/09

A method for detecting the ion hit tracks on the mammalian cultured cells at the irradiation time was established. The cells were attached to the ion track detector CR-39 (100 m thick), then irradiated with 13.0 MeV/u 20Ne or 11.5 MeV/u 40Ar ion beams. Immediately after the irradiation, the cells were refilled with medium, then the CR-39 was etched from the opposite side of the cell with alkaline-ethanol solution at 37C. With the 15 min etching treatment, we obtained the accurate information about the spatial distribution of irradiated ions without significant effect on the cell growth. The continuous observation of the individual cell growth indicated that the growth of ion hit cell was reduced compared with that of non-irradiated one.