Veterinary Technician Practice Exam

Which of the following tissues is most sensitive to radiation?

1. Skin

2. Nerve tissue

3. Bone marrow

4. Adipose tissue

The correct answer is: Bone marrow

Bone marrow is the tissue most sensitive to radiation due to its high rate of cell division and the presence of hematopoietic stem cells, which are essential for the production of blood cells. These stem cells are particularly vulnerable to radiation exposure because radiation can damage or kill rapidly dividing cells, leading to potential deficiencies in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This increased susceptibility makes bone marrow a critical tissue to monitor in radiation exposure scenarios. In contrast, skin is also sensitive to radiation but not to the same extent as bone marrow, as the skin cells have a different regeneration timeline. Nerve tissue is among the least sensitive to radiation because it has a very low rate of cell division; damage to nerve cells can be long-lasting but not as immediate as that seen in more rapidly dividing tissues. Adipose tissue, while it can be affected by radiation, is also not as sensitive because it does not exhibit the same rate of cell turnover and has a different cellular composition compared to bone marrow. Therefore, the significance of bone marrow in this context makes it the most sensitive tissue to radiation exposure.