Which tissue is considered to be particularly radiosensitive?

The intestinal mucous membrane is particularly radiosensitive due to its high rate of cellular turnover and proliferation. This tissue is composed of rapidly dividing cells, which are more susceptible to the damaging effects of ionizing radiation. When radiation interacts with these cells, it can cause a variety of detrimental effects, including cell death, mutations, and impaired function. As a result, tissues that regenerate quickly, such as the intestines, skin, and bone marrow, are generally more at risk from radiation exposure.

In contrast, the other tissues listed, such as the epidermis of extremities, optic nerves, and muscle tissue, have different cellular characteristics and turnover rates that make them less sensitive to radiation. The epidermis does have some sensitivity due to its regenerative ability, but it is not as radiosensitive as the intestinal mucous membrane. Additionally, optic nerves, while critical for vision, consist of mature cells that do not divide frequently, thus rendering them less susceptible to radiation injury than rapidly dividing tissues. Muscle tissue is largely composed of mature, non-dividing cells, making it even less radiosensitive. Therefore, the correct identification of the intestinal mucous membrane as particularly radiosensitive highlights the importance of cellular turnover in determining tissue sensitivity to radiation.