[The ciliated epithelium of the rat trachea is sensitive to gamma-irradiation in very low doses].

As early as 5-7 min after the start of exposure of tissue preparations from rat trachea ciliated epithelium to gamma-radiation at a dose rate of 19 mGy/h, the ciliary motion rate increased periodically. The phenomenon of increasing the ciliary motion occurred more frequently in time; the intervals between two frequency drops became longer and the mean frequency level higher. The reverse sequence of the events was observed during the postirradiation period. The same regularities, but less expressed, were observed after irradiation at a dose rate of 1.8 mGy/h.