Regenerative Capacity of Muscle Tissue and Thymus State in γ-Irradiated Rats Exposed to Long-term He–Ne Laser Radiation

We studied the effect of He–Ne laser on regeneration of damaged gastrocnemius muscle in rats irradiated at 6 Gy in conditions of fractional laser energy spread (10 exposures, 3 min for each limb, within 30 days after the operation; 2–3 exposures weekly; 2.5–3.0 mW/cm2 power density; and 9.0–10.8 J/cm2 total dose per animal). Laser radiation stimulated regenerative activity of the skeletal muscle and favored a more even distribution of load on the thymus (a smooth decrease in its weight and slow aplasia). The level of chromosomal aberrations in the thymocytes demonstrated certain instability although remained lower as compared to the control during the whole observation period (60 days).