In terms of radiation effects, how do rapidly dividing cells generally respond compared to specialized cells?

Rapidly dividing cells tend to be more sensitive to radiation exposure due to their high metabolic activity and the fact that they are in the cell cycle more frequently. These cells, such as those in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal lining, and hair follicles, are actively undergoing mitosis, which means they are more vulnerable to the damaging effects of radiation.

Radiation can cause DNA damage during cell division, and rapidly dividing cells have less time to repair this damage compared to specialized, non-dividing cells. As a result, these rapidly dividing cells generally exhibit significant effects from radiation exposure even at relatively low doses. Therefore, as the question indicates, they tend to show effects at lower doses compared to more specialized cells, which often divide less frequently and have more comprehensive repair mechanisms in place for radiation-induced damage.

The incorrect options suggest that rapidly dividing cells might respond at higher doses or not at all, which is contrary to the established understanding of how these cells interact with radiation. Additionally, the idea that they are unaffected by radiation does not align with the biological responses observed in studies of radiation exposure effects.