Regulating the Cell Cycle Flashcards
Controlling the cell cycle, apoptosis, and cancer
True or False: The controls on cell growth and division can be turned on and off
True
True or False: The rate of cell division slows when the healing process nears completion
True
What are cyclins?
A family of proteins that regulate the timing of the cell cycle in eukaryotic cells
What are internal regulators?
Internal regulators are proteins that respond to events inside a cell
What do internal regulators do?
They allow the cell to proceed only once certain processes have happened inside the cell
What are external regulators?
External regulators are proteins that respond to events outside the cell
What do external regulators do?
External regulators direct cells to speed up or slow down the cell cycle
What are growth factors?
Growth factors are external regulators that stimulate the growth and division of cells.
When are growth factors useful?
Growth factors are useful during embryonic development and wound healing
What is apoptosis?
Apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death
When is apoptosis important?
Apoptosis is important in the development of organisms by shaping the structure of tissues and organs
What is cancer?
Cancer is a disorder in which body cells lose the ability to control cell growth
How is a tumor formed?
A tumor is formed when cancer cells divide uncontrollably to form a mass of cells
What is a benign tumor?
A benign tumor is noncancerous
What does a benign tumor do?
It does NOT spread to surrounding healthy tissue
What is a malignant tumor?
A cancerous tumor
What does a malignant tumor do?
It invades and destroys surrounding healthy tissue and can spread to other parts of the body
What is the spread of cancer cells called?
Metastasis
What do cancer cells do?
Cancer cells absorb nutrients needed by other cells, block nerve connections, and prevent organs from functioning
How are cancers caused?
Defects in genes that regulate cell growth and division
What are some of the sources of gene defects?
Smoking tobacco, radiation exposure, defective genes, and viral infection
What is the most common damaged or defective gene in cancer cells?
The p53 gene
What happens when there is a damage or defection in the p53 gene?
It causes cells to lose the information needed to respond to growth signals
True or False: Some localized tumors can be removed by surgery
True
True or False: many tumors cannot be treated with targeted radiation
False: many CAN be treated with targeted radiation
What is chemotherapy?
The use of compounds that kill or slow the growth of cancer cells
