Radiosensitivity is directly proportional to what and inversely proportional to what?

Radiosensitivity is directly proportional to what and inversely proportional to what?

• A. Its reproductive capacity, and its degree of differentiation
• B. Its energy, and its mass
• C. Its temperature, and its density
• D. Its diffusion rate, and its chemical form

Answer: (A)

Radiosensitivity hinges on the cell’s biological state: how readily it can reproduce and how differentiated it is. Cells with high reproductive capacity and little differentiation are more vulnerable to radiation because they are more likely to undergo lethal DNA damage during division and have less specialized repair constraints. This is captured by the idea that radiosensitivity increases with mitotic activity and decreases as differentiation progresses. So rapidly dividing, undifferentiated cells—like those in bone marrow or the intestinal lining—are highly radiosensitive, while highly differentiated, non-dividing cells—like neurons or mature muscle—are more resistant. Physical properties such as energy, mass, temperature, or diffusion rate don’t set this relationship.

Radiosensitivity hinges on the cell’s biological state: how readily it can reproduce and how differentiated it is. Cells with high reproductive capacity and little differentiation are more vulnerable to radiation because they are more likely to undergo lethal DNA damage during division and have less specialized repair constraints. This is captured by the idea that radiosensitivity increases with mitotic activity and decreases as differentiation progresses. So rapidly dividing, undifferentiated cells—like those in bone marrow or the intestinal lining—are highly radiosensitive, while highly differentiated, non-dividing cells—like neurons or mature muscle—are more resistant. Physical properties such as energy, mass, temperature, or diffusion rate don’t set this relationship.