Radiobiology 2016

Mitotic Catastrophe

• Mitotic catastrophe takes place at long times after irradiation – Depends on proliferation rate – Influenced by DNA repair capacity • Cell death may occur at different times following mitotic catastrophe – Nuclear fragmentation – Apoptosis, necrosis, senescence, autophagy

• Cells may attempt several divisions – Multiple failed divisions – Cell fusions – Giant cell formation, multiple micronuclei

• Genome becomes so unstable as to no longer support normal cell function