i got radiation treatment on my arm last year and i read a few things that said that radiation causes damage to the DNA cells, and that it can’t replicate? what does that even mean? does that mean that if i were to have any children, that the likelihood of them having mutations is higher or does it mean something else
In: Biology
The DNA is in a special shape that allows it to unfold and fold up when in use and not in use. Also, its shape helps to make copies of the DNA when it is opened up. The DNA has sugar and phosphorus molecules to give it a very rigid structure. Radiation has enough energy to break the sugar or phosphorus bonds and they end up binding to a different molecule nearby. Kind of like how a string of magnets will get tangled up. Anyway, after the DNA is kinked and in the incorrect shape, it is either incapable of copying because the proteins and replication molecules won’t fit right on the DNA or sometimes worse( or better) a mutation occurs but the main idea is that DNA’s structure (any biological structure) is important in how it functions and the radiation can change its structure (or shape).
Mutations come more from a change in the nucleic acids structure which are found in-between the sugar phosphorus bonds. The Sugar and P hold the nucleic acids together and if those acids get switched up, we call that a mutation. MOST mutations have almost 0 effect. Some can have huge positive or negative effects but really, mutations affect large populations over time and not so much individuals. (DNA = deoxygenated nucleic acid. OR the D is the sugar phosphorus “backbone” as biologists love to say and the NA stands for the nucleic acids which is the actual “code” of the DNA or what makes the proteins/ new DNA.
No your future spawn are safe for the most part, Unless your sex organs/ sex cells are radiated then its close to impossible to pass those mutations on because your babies only receive your DNA from the sex cells not any cell. Plus the other sex person you are making babies with also has a set of DNA they contribute that averages out all your shitty mutations once combined to make a babay.
Sometimes the body can repair radiation damage to DNA and it sometimes does it with….RADIATION! That means technically radiated DNA can be repaired and replicate properly on its own. I know Its cray cray but awesome questions.
Since the radiation is pointed mostly at the harmful cells, most of the healthy ones are ok.
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