A single low dose of X-rays induces high frequencies of genetic instability (aneuploidy) and heritable damage (apoptosis), dependent on cell type and p53 status.

We harvested and analyzed cells from four different non-transformed cell lines surviving a single X-ray exposure. Evidence of radiation-induced karyotype instability was observed in 100% of C3H 10T1/2 fibroblast clones and 11.3% of V79 fibroblast clones.