text: Although little is known about the mechanism of the adaptive response, it is believed that changes in gene transcription and the activation of cellular defenses are involved. It has recently been suggested that specific mechanistic pathways of the adaptive response can active the important tumor suppressor protein p53. A key experiment that reveals the underlying mechanisms is that which involves the treatment with protein synthesis inhibitors to Oedogonium Chlamydomonas and Closterium cells. This experiment resulted in DNA-binding proteins being synthesized in the cells conditioned with the stressor. Furthermore, reverse adaptive response suggests that a high conditioning dose followed by a second low dose produces roughly the same magnitude of response. This could suggest that the mechanisms work by cellular response modulation, not prevention, to the impending damage. The adaptive response is not instantaneous and takes several hours to develop, however after development it can last for months given that the stressor exposure is limited and will not overwhelm the cell. This is known as being dose and time-dependent with a maximum response occurring at 4 hours after an initial conditioning dose of 100 cGy (centigray) radiation stressor.