Chap 10--Fighting Fate Flashcards
Mutation
A change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA
Cancer
A disease of unregulated cell division; cells divide inappropriately and accumulate, in some instances forming a tumor
Cell Cycle Checkpoint
A cellular mechanism that ensures that each stage of the cell cycle is completed accurately
Apoptosis
Programmed cell death; often referred to as cellular suicide
Tumor
A mass of cells resulting from uncontrolled cell division
Carcinogen
Any substance that causes cancer. Most (blanks) are mutagens
Mutagen
Any chemical or physical agent that can damage DNA by changing is nucleotide sequence
Allele
Alternative versions of the same gene that have different nucleotide sequences
Proto-Oncogene
A gene that codes for a protein that helps cells divide normally
Tumor Suppressor Gene
A gene that codes for a protein that monitors and checks cell cycle progression. When these genes mutate, tumor suppressor proteins lose normal function
Oncogene
A mutated and overactive form of a proto-oncogene. (Blanks) drive cells to divide continually
Benign Tumor
A noncancerous tumor whose cells will not spread throughout the body
Malignant Tumor
A cancerous tumor whose cells can spread throughout the body
Metastasis
The spread of cancer cells from one location in the body to another
Contact Inhibition
A characteristic of normal cells that prevents them from dividing once they have filled a space and are in contact with their neighbors
