Electron autoradiographic study of RNA synthesis in cerebral cortex neurons in burns

RNA synthesis in neuronal nucleoli of the rat cerebral cortex was studied by electron microscopic autoradiography in rats before and 1, 12 h, 3 and 6 days after burn injury. It was ascertained that the rate of RNA synthesis begins increasing rapidly after burn injury (1 h) and reaches high level after 12 h. The decrease in the rate of RNA synthesis proceeds more slowly than the increase. This rate does not return to normal even by the close of day 6 following injury.