1 RADIOACTIVE SOURCE RADIOACTIVE MUTATION
How exposure to radiation can trigger genetic mutations
When radioactive sources such as uranium decay, they release high-energy particles.
3 INTRUDER
Once inside the nucleus, radioactive particles damage the double-helix structure of DNA.
2 INFILTRATION
Some radioactive particles can break through the membranes of cells and penetrate the cells’ nuclei.
4 DNA DAMAGE
Once the sequence of nucleotides is damaged, the transcription of the information when the cell divides will be altered.
5 CANCER GROWTH
Mutations can cause the acceleration of cell division without the occurrence of natural cell death.
6 TUMOUR FORMATION
As the mass of cancerous cells increases, tumours begin to form.