Journal of Biomedical Physics and Engineering

Geant4 Simulation of Radiation-Induced Dose in Keratinocyte Cell Organelles and Membranes

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

Sakineh Faraji 1
Mohammadesmail Shahaboddin 2
Bagher Farhood 1
Akbar Aliasgharzadeh 1
Mehran Mohseni 1
Mostafa Sarvizadeh 3
Habiballah Moradi 1

1 Department of Medical Physics and Radiology, Allied Medical Sciences Faculty, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran

2 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran

3 The Advocate Center for Clinical Research, Ayatollah Yasrebi Hospital, Kashan, Iran

Abstract
Background: Accurate modeling of radiation-induced damage at the subcellular level is essential for advancing radiobiological research and therapeutic outcomes.
Objective: This study used Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations to quantify energy deposition and dose distribution in keratinocyte cell nuclei, mitochondria, and lysosome membranes exposed to electron, proton, and alpha radiation. The goal is to elucidate subcellular damage mechanisms and enhance radiobiological models.
Material and Methods: In this computational Monte Carlo simulation study, Geant4 is used to model a realistic 3D human keratinocyte carcinoma cell, including its nucleus, lysosome, and mitochondrion. The simulation was conducted for electron, proton, and alpha particles across 0.02–100 MeV energy levels. The absorbed energy and dose were calculated for each organelle and cellular membrane.
Results: Membranes absorbed significantly higher doses than cytoplasm and organelles, with the nucleus receiving the highest dose among organelles. Notably, alpha particles resulted in absorbed doses four times higher than protons at the same energy across the entire cell. The higher hydrogen content in membranes contributed to increased energy deposition, making them a potential indirect radiation target.
Conclusion: This in silico study highlights that cell membranes absorb more radiation than organelles, which could lead to radiation-induced cell damage at lower doses. The findings provide valuable insights into the role of material composition in dose absorption and demonstrate a methodology for simulating complex intracellular structures, for a better understanding of radiation effects at the microscopic level.

Keywords

Monte Carlo Method
Radiobiology
Keratinocytes
Radiation Dose
Cell Membrane
Cell Nucleus
Mitochondria
Lysosomes
Journal of Biomedical Physics and Engineering

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 17 October 2026

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