Cancer Cell Comparison

A key characteristic of cancer cells is that they are no longer constrained by the standard cell cycle controls that normally coordinate cell division activity. Consequently the timing of mitosis in cancer cells is altered. You may

In a cell cycle, there are specific checkpoints between each phases caused by the occurrence of cyclin. Cyclin determines how concentration flunctuatues. If the regulation is disrupted by a decreasein cyclin, there would be no mitosis, meaning the cell cycle would continuously go thre G0 phase. However, if there is an increase

In the context of the cell cycle, P53 is shown to have a G1 and G2/M checkpoint function [23]; in fact, upon receiving a stimulus such as DNA damage, p53 induces cell cycle arrest providing time for the cell to repair the genomic damage before being released back into the proliferating pool . The best known P53 target gene product involved in this process is the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p21 [18]. The progression through the S phase of the cell cycle is tightly controlled by CDKs [19]. P21 functions by inhibiting Cyclin-CDK complexes, therefore, hindering the cell cycle transition from G1 to S phase [23]. In addition to being implicated in the G1/S arrest of the cell cycle, it has been demonstrated that P21, alongside p53, is also essential in the G2/M phase [23,

A normal cell replicates and divides into two cells which in turn divide into four daughter cells and so on by DNA replication in mitosis. As the cell grows old, it dies because of the programmed cell death known as apoptosis. The dead cells are then replaced with new cells. However when the DNA of the cell is damaged, for example when there is a genetic change such as DNA mutation or defective protein synthesis, the cell becomes abnormal. It begins to divide uncontrollably and forms a growth (cancerous tumour), in contrast to the normal cell in which

There are many differences and similarities between normal and cancer cells. G1 occurs at the beginning of the cell cycle, the cell is at the smallest size but it starts growing. Normal cells grow till it’s big enough but cancer cells keep growing even after it’s big enough. Their communication is also different because the cancer cells don’t communicate, so they don’t know when to stop. When something goes wrong normal cells either get repaired or they die; while cancer cells do neither. One protein called P53 has the job of checking to see if the cell is too damaged to repair and if it is, it advises the cell to kill

The normal process of cell division is altered in cancerous cells typically by mutations in the genes involved in the regulation of cellular division. The number of mutations normally will begin to spread because when the genes that make DNA repairing proteins become mutated, this causes the DNA that they would be repairing to become mutated as well. Some changes allow the damaged cells to divide more quickly than normal and to invade other tissues. The cancers cells can divide even where there are signals and normal cells meant to prevent the cell growth.

New cells are required for an organism to grow, reproduce or repair damaged tissue. All cells arise from pre-existing cells. Cell replication is the process which facilitates the production of new cells from existing cells. For example, cell replication is required to create new cells to heal a cut to the skin. Another example of cell replication is when gametes are produced in the reproductive organ of a human. Cell replication is a different process for eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. For eukaryotic cells, the cell life cycle consists of three main stages; Interphase, Mitosis and Cytokinesis. In interphase, the cell expands and organelles replicate to prepare for the cell division. The replication of DNA occurs in the synthesis phase of interphase. During mitosis, the now replicated DNA within the parent cell splits into two equal parts for the daughter cells. finally, in the cytokinesis stage of the cell cycle, the cytoplasm (all the contents of the cell within the cell membrane excluding what is in the nuclear

The cell cycle has four main stages. The cell cycle is the regular pattern of growth. The four stages consist of Gap 1 (G1), Synthesis (S), Gap 2 (G2), and Mitosis (M). Gap 1, consists of a cell that carries its normal functions. Calls also increase in size, and the organelles increase in number. A cell will spend the most time in this phase. But it also depends on the cell type to see how long it will spend in this phase. During this phase the cell has to pass a critical checkpoint before it can continue into the (S) stage, also called the Synthesis stage. It would be dangerous for a cell to keep dividing if the certain conditions were not met. The cells in this stage also need signals from the other cells to tell the if division is needed. Now the next stage is the Synthesis stage. During this phase the cell makes a copy of it’s nuclear DNA. By the end of the (S) phase DNA appears grainy in photos and the cell nucleus contains two complete sets of DNA. Gap 2, is the third stage of the cell cycle. The cells continue doing there thing and more growth occurs. This phase is like the checkpoint, everything in the cell has to be going right for the cell to be able to enter mitosis.

Under normal conditions, cells balance division and apoptosis, and these processes are accomplished and preserved by several biochemical “checkpoints” during the cell cycle2. When these checkpoints are affected, uncontrolled cellular proliferation and cancer can result. Two general classes of cancer genes are oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Oncogenes facilitate tumor formation by directly accelerating cell division, whereas tumor suppressor genes, when affected, allow uncontrolled growth that was normally suppressed2. Tumor suppressor gene loss usually affects a cell’s phenotype when both copies of the gene are lost, so null alleles can be present in a heterozygous state in cells without affecting cell and tissue phenotype. The loss of these genes can occur through genetic mutation or the epigenetic silencing of genes via promoter

There are chemicals that are used in things such as pesticides and fertilizers, as well as cleaning products that have been linked to cancer. There have been studies that have shown that power lines can cause cancer. There has been evidence of cancer occurring in larger than average numbers among nonrelated children in certain geographical areas, neighborhoods and cities. Whether prenatal or infant exposure to these agents causes cancer, or whether it is a coincidence is unknown but many scientists theorize that there is a direct correlation to environmental influences in the area. Childhood cancers often occur or begin in the stem cells, which are simple cells capable of producing other types of specialized cells that the body needs. A sporadic cell change or mutation is usually what causes childhood cancer. (“Cancer in Children”) As mentioned, some cancers have been associated with repetitive exposures to specific environmental influences or risk factors. A risk factor is anything that may increase a person's chance of developing a disease. A risk factor does not necessarily cause the disease, but it may make the body less resistant to it.

Cell proliferation is defined as an increased in the cell population. Proliferation is important when observing normal cell growth. The cells grow and divide into identical cells using the cell cycle and this process is known as cell division. There are two phases of cell division which are interphase and mitosis. Interphase has three main phases and each phase has a different process and function. These three parts are known as G1, S, and G2. In the G1 phase cell growth is initiated and it is also the phase that is responsible for protein synthesis and ribonucleic acid production (a ). The next phase is the S phase which is also known as the synthesis phase and it is where the DNA is replicated. Final step of the interphase is the G2 phase which deals with cell growth and prepares for cell division. Mitosis is the process that come after all the phases of

Cancer cells have shown to change rapidly. Many experiments have shown that if the cells were aneuploid and cancerous they created chromosomal alterations quicker. The progression of cancer is a deadly one. The chromosomes reshuffle and change quickly. They also possess the ability to resist drugs and grow. Fortunately, the process is slow so this does give time for doctors to remove the affected cells before it’s too

There are many ways that you can get cancer. You can get cancer from smoking, sunlight, your diet, mold, viruses, and inheritance. Out of those factors, the most common cause of cancer today is smoking. All cancers are genetic because they are caused by the mutations that happen to the gene. Some common cancers that are

After the person becomes an adult, most cells divide only to replace worn-out or dying cells to repair injuries (“What is Cancer?” American Cancer Society). When cancer develops, this orderly process is broken down. As cells grow to be more and more abnormal, old or damaged cells survive when they should die. New cells form when they are not needed. Cancer cells come to be cancer cells because of variations, or mutations, to their DNA. In the cancer cells, damaged DNA is not restored, but the cell doesn’t die like it should. Instead, the cell goes on constructing new cells that the body doesn’t require. These new cells all have the same damaged DNA as the first cell does (“What is Cancer?” American Cancer Society). These cells may form growths termed tumors (“What is Cancer?” National Cancer Institute). Cancer cells are also able to disregard signals that routinely tell cells to halt dividing or that begin a process referred to as programmed cell death, apoptosis, which the body uses to get rid of unneeded cells. Cancer cells may be able to influence the normal cells, molecules, and blood vessels that frame and nourish a

There are three different types of chemotherapy medications, cell-cycle specific, and cell-cycle nonspecific and hormone-blocking medicines (McKay & Schacher, 2009). Cell-cycle specific drugs interfere with the cell division, which does not allow for the cells to divide, causing them to live out the cells life span and die (McKay & Schacher, 2009). Cell-cycle nonspecific drugs kill cancer cells at any time during its life span (McKay & Schacher, 2009). Hormone-blocking medication make the environment around the cells less hospitable, causing them to slow down and stop the growth of more cancer cells (McKay & Schacher, 2009).