External factors controlling division and behaviour of normal and cancerous cells Flashcards
Cell behaviour
Describes the way cells interact with their external environment and their reactions to this, particularly proliferative and motile responses of cells
External influences detected by the cell
CHEMICAL -hormones -growth factors -ion concentrations -extracellular matrix -molecules on other cells -nutrients -dissolved gas (oxygen and carbon dioxide) concentrations PHYSICAL -mechanical stresses -temperature -topography (layout) of the extracellular matrix and other cells
External factors influencing cell division in relation to cancer cell behaviour
- Growth factors
- Cell-cell adhesion
- Cell-ECM adhesion
-all external factors may influence cell proliferation
Adhesion of tissue cells in culture
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Basic behaviour of cells in culture
-Cell-spreading=not passive, gravity-dependent event. Energy required to modulate cell adhesion and cytoskeleton during spreading
Cell-ECM adhesion influencing cell proliferation
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The importance of cell spreading
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Cell-ECM adhesion
- in suspension, cells do not significantly synthesise protein or DNA
- cells require to be attached to ECM (and a degree of spreading required) to begin protein synthesis and proliferation (DNA synthesis)
- attachment to ECM may be required for cell survival
MOST CELLS NEED MATRIX
Cell-ECM adhesion molecules
- cells have receptors on their cell surface which bind specifically to ECM molecules=molecules often linked, at their cytoplasmic domains, to the cytoskeleton
- arrangement means there is mechanical continuity between ECM and cell interior
Integrins
- heterodimer complexes of alpha and beta subunits
- associate extracellularly by head regions
- leg regions each span plasma membrane
- ligand-binding occurs at junction of head regions
- more than 20 combinations of alpha and beta subunits known which each bind specifically to short peptide sequence on extracellular matrix proteins (eg: alpha5beta1 fibronectin receptor binds arg-gly-asp=RGD)
- peptide sequences such as RGD are found in more than one ECM molecule (eg: RGD in fibronectin, vitronectin, fibrinogen etc)
Oncogenes
Mutant gene which promotes uncontrolled cell proliferation
Proto-oncogene
Normal cellular gene corresponding to the oncogene
Ras mutation
-in approximately 30% of all cancers
Ras (signalling intermediate)
Oncogenes:
- V12Ras (Gly12Val mutation)
- L61Ras (Gln16Leu mutation)
c-Raf (signalling intermediate)
Oncogene:
-v-Raf (deletion of regulatory domain)
c-Jun (transcription factor)
-v-Jun (deletion of regulatory domain)
Signals controlling proliferation of tissue cells
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Uncontrolled proliferation of tissue cells
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Benign and malignant tumours
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Local invasion and metastasis
- in addition to deregulated proliferation, a major feature of cancerous tumours is ability to spread
- most human cancers are carcinomas
- in order to spread to other sites (metastasis), cells must break away from primary tumour, travel to blood or lymph vessel, enter vessel, lodge at distant site, leave vessel and ultimately establish secondary tumour