Cancer Study Guide #2

Question 1

Basement membrane

Answer 1

A thin layer of connective tissue that underlines the epithelial tissue layer

Question 2

Carcinoma

Answer 2

General term for a cancer of the epithelial cell.

Question 3

Columnar epithelial

Answer 3

Cells whose height is much longer than their width. These cells function for absorption of nutrients and secretion and are found mostly in the GI tract.

Question 4

Cuboidal epithelial

Answer 4

Cube-shaped epithelial cells that function for secretion

Question 5

Lumen

Answer 5

The inner space of a cavity, vessel, intestine, or other tube

Question 6

Parenchyma

Answer 6

The tissue of the organ that is responsible for the function of that organ.

Question 7

Squamous epithelial

Answer 7

Flat, scale-like, epithelial cells whose chief function is protection from the environment.

Question 8

Stroma

Answer 8

The connective tissue framework of an organ that supports the epithelial layer of tissue.

Question 9

Transitional epithelial

Answer 9

Epithelial cells that can transition in shape and size. These cells are primarily found in the urinary tract and prostate.

Question 10

Adult stem cells

Answer 10

Unspecialized cells that form a number of different (but not all) cell types in the body.

Question 11

Differentiation

Answer 11

The process of cellular specialization.

Question 12

Epigenetic

Answer 12

The study of how modifications to the DNA that do not affect DNA sequence affect the phenotype of a cell or organism.

Question 13

BRCA1

Answer 13

A tumor suppressor gene involved in DNA repair, whose mutated form is associated with breast and ovarian cancer as well as other cancers.

Question 14

Mutagen

Answer 14

Any chemical or agent that is capable of mutating DNA sequence

Question 15

Point mutation

Answer 15

A change in a single nucleotide of a DNA sequence

Question 16

Columnar epithelial (extended)

Answer 16

• elongated and tightly packed
• absorption and secretion
• mostly found in digestive tract as they can handle harsh chemicals

Question 17

Cuboidal epithelial (extended)

Answer 17

• shaped like cubes
• specialized for secretion
• salivary glands or mammary glands (milk)

Question 18

Transitional epithelial (extended)

Answer 18

• vary in shape between cuboidal and columnar
• specialized to be stretchy without breaking. Used in organs that expand and contract
• like urinary or prostate
• often occur in layers

Question 19

Squamous epithelial

Answer 19

Are flat and look like fish scales
Specialized to be protective
Found on the surface of the skin or lining blood vessels and the abdominal cavity

Question 20

What’s the function of the parenchyma and stroma

Answer 20

Parenchyma Performs

Stroma Supports

Question 21

Which organs are made of epithelial cells and why are they more common for cancer?

Answer 21

Skin, esophagus, stomach

They’re more exposed to external environments

Question 22

Basal cell carcinoma vs melanoma

Answer 22

Basal- most common cancer of the skin, found on parts exposed to the sun, much less likely to spread and become life threatening

Melanoma- can grow anywhere, not as common, more serious, if left alone is more likely to spread.

Question 23

Explain how stem cells become specialized and why that is important.

Answer 23

Stem cells can replicate to produce daughter cells or they can specialize or differentiate into many cell types. Terminally differentiated cells cannot replicate.
It is important as they can specialize into any different function of the body

Question 24

Explain the process of gene expression and what “open” and “closed” means in epigenetics.

Answer 24

Gene expression is when Cells specialize by producing specific sets of proteins.
Transcription factors control gene expression
Transcription factors can’t bind to tightly wound ‘closed’ DNA
DNA ‘opening’ is regulated by modifying the histones- epigenetic regulation
Adding an acetyl group to the histone loosens its grip on DNA
Adding a methyl group to the histone or the DNA tighten their grip on each other.
DNA in cancer cells tends to be in the ‘open’ state

Question 25

Explain how cancer cells are different than stem cells

Answer 25

Stem cells are more specialized and divide less

Cancer cells are less specialized and divide more.

Question 26

Explain the results from your UV lab and state the different sunscreens you used and what the outcome was. Be able to say which one worked better and why.

Answer 26

In our lab we used name brand and generic sunscreens both SPF 30. The name brand worked better probably as they have more extensive fun shiny and can acquire better ingredients.

Question 27

What are the four bases in DNA and the four bases in RNA and how do they pair up?

Answer 27

DNA- AT GC

RNA- AU GC

Question 28

How are DNA and RNA different?

Answer 28

DNA is double helix while RNA is single.
DNA’s pairings are ATGC while RNA is AUGC
DNA cannot leave the nucleus while one RNA can.

Question 29

What is the difference between point mutations (insertion, deletion, and substitution)?

Answer 29

Point- basically substitution where instead of let’s say an A it’s a C. So it only changes on nucleotide in the DNA sequence
Insertion- this adds a nucleotide somewhere along the way. Changing all of the amino acid combinations after it. Messing up the whole sequence
Deletion- this removes a nucleotide changing all of the amino acid combinations after it. Messing up the whole sequence

Question 30

Explain what happens when a cell becomes cancerous using the cell’s life cycle.

Answer 30

Cell division
Cell signaling
Cell differentiation
Cell aging and death
Transformation is when something goes wrong in this sequence and the cell starts to acquire cancerous characteristics
Mutations can also occur and permanently change the DNA sequence. Carcinogens increase the risk of mutations

Question 31

How is a wound healed by the immune system (explain in detail) and what happens if it doesn’t heal?

Answer 31

Signals from the wound recruit immune cells
Signals from the immune cells start inflammation
Immune cells stimulate proliferation (rapid growth)
When tissue is repaired proliferation and inflammation stop
If it doesn’t heal, inflammation persists and chronic inflammation acts as a carcinogen

Question 32

How does inflammation lead to growth and mutation of the cells and possibly cancer?

Answer 32

The chronic inflammation acting as a carcinogen cause mutations affecting cell proliferation and death.
The tumor suppressors become mutated as well as the oncogenes leading to no cell death and uncontrollable proliferation. Possibly causing cancer.

Question 33

Single nucleotide polymorphism

Answer 33

type of mutation where only a single nucleotide is altered – either inserted, deleted, or substituted.

Question 34

Transformation

Answer 34

The process by which a cell acquires characteristic of a cancer cell

Question 35

Chronic infections

Answer 35

An infection that is persistent and never fully cleared by the immune system.

Question 36

Inflammation

Answer 36

The immune response to infection, injury, or irritation that results in pain, redness, and swelling.

Question 37

Tumor necrosis factor

Answer 37

A signaling molecule secreted primarily from immune cells, but also from other cells, that is the primary activator of inflammatory response.