The plasma membrane as radiosensitive target.
The rapidly accumulating knowledge on the structure and function of cell membranes stimulates the relevant radiobiological studies. Several factors rendering the membrane system a radiosensitive target as well as radiation-induced alterations of plasma membrane are reviewed. For understanding subcellular effects the need of projecting physical energy deposition events over the biological scenary in respective volumes is emphasized. The possible role of membrane alterations in the fate of irradiated cell is discussed.
D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D011836:Radiation Tolerance