What happens to a cell that is exposed to radiation and cannot repair itself?

When a cell is exposed to radiation, it can undergo significant damage to its DNA and other vital cellular structures. If the cell cannot effectively repair this damage, it typically leads to cell death. This death can occur through various mechanisms, including apoptosis (programmed cell death) or necrosis (uncontrolled cell death due to damage).

Radiation disrupts the normal functioning of cellular processes, and when the damage exceeds the cell's ability to initiate repair mechanisms, the integrity of the cell is compromised. Because the cell loses the ability to maintain homeostasis and perform its functions, it ultimately results in cell death. This is particularly relevant in contexts like cancer treatment, where radiation is intended to kill malignant cells that cannot cope with the induced damage.

The other options involve processes that do not apply in the scenario of unrepairable radiation damage. For instance, cell multiplication would suggest that the cell can grow and divide when in fact it is likely unable to survive. Cell transformation implies a change into a different type of cell, which would still require functional processes that are not possible if the cell is significantly damaged. Cell adaptation refers to the ability of a cell to respond to stress and survive uneventfully, which again presumes the cell has some functional capacity to withstand