Radiation damage somatic

Chromosome anomalies and aberrations can influence heredity. Most somatic cells of humans contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, with one member of each pair contributed by the sperm and the other contributed by the egg. When the process of sperm or egg cell production goes awry as a result of radiation damage, abnormal chromosome numbers (aneuploidy) can arise. Aneuploidy is a form of genetic instability. 

Explain, with examples, the difference between somatic and genetic radiation damage. 

The somatic mutation theory is based, in part, on the idea that background radiation and/or various endogenous mutagens produce random chromosome damage in all cells. Over time, the genetic loci become sufficiently altered such that various critical functions fail and the cell dies. The fact that irradiation of laboratory animals results in accelerated aging and premature death lends some support to this hypothesis. However, since irradiation produces free radicals, it could be considered part of that theory. 

Explain the difference between somatic damage from radiation and genetic damage. Which type causes immediate damage to the exposed individual ... 

Ans. Even if cells survive, there may be chemical alterations of the nucleic acids, particularly DNA, which can result in chromosome damage or mutations. In somatic tissue, this can induce cancer. For example, it can lead to cancer in bone tissue directly, or to leukemia from effects on bone marrow. If these changes occur in germ tissue, the radiation effects may not show up until in later generations. 

Stem cells, haploid germ cells, somatic cells, transformed cells. The ancient unicellular life forms survived under the most adverse conditions in a chemically hostile, overheated (boiling water pouring lava volcanic fumes), chemically imbalanced as to excessive acidity or alkalinity, and heavily radioactive environment. The y-rays-irradiated but radiation-resistant Deinococcus radiodurans (Figure 4) suffers genomic damage it is its chaperone proteins in its proteome that perform the rescue of the genome (Mediterranean Instimte for Life Sciences, Split, Croatia). 

The health effects of ionising radiation may be summarized into two groups - somatic effects which refers to cell damage in the person exposed to the radiation dose and genetic effects which refers the damage done to the children of the irradiated person. 

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