Question

You walk out of the USF library on a bright sunny day without sunscreen, even though you know better. The skin on your arms begins to turn red from the UV radiation and the DNA is damaged so your cells commit apoptosis and flake off few days later. What feature of cells is occuring throughout this process?

Answer 1

The cells on your skin initiate a process called apoptosis in response to UV radiation damage, to prevent the damaged DNA from leading to cancer. While the body's tanning response can somewhat protect against further UV damage, a tan is ultimately a sign of skin damage, and proper sun protection is advised to minimize the risk of skin cancer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The process occurring within the cells when the skin on your arms begins to turn red from UV radiation and eventually flakes off is called apoptosis. This is the body's controlled way of getting rid of damaged cells that could potentially lead to cancer if allowed to survive and divide. When the DNA is damaged by UV light, the affected cells initiate the apoptosis sequence to prevent the propagation of damaged DNA, which could result in the formation of cancerous cells. The tanning response is another defense mechanism, which produces pigments to absorb future UV exposures and provides a slightly higher resistance to UV-induced damage. However, any tan is an indication of skin damage, and increased exposure, particularly large exposures, can lead to accelerated aging, wrinkles, and a higher risk of developing skin cancer. Sunscreen with a high SPF, protective clothing, and hats are recommended to protect the skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation.