In: Biology
Normal cell cycle is controlled by signal transduction
Growth factors bind to surface receptors on the cell; transmembrane
proteins relay information to the cell by signal transduction.
Two types of growth factors:
1. Growth factors -Stimulate cell division
2. Growth-inhibiting factors -inhibit cell division,
Healthy cells divide only when growth factor and growth-inhibiting factor balance favors cell division.
Cancer cells divide without constraint
Cancer is primarily caused by mutations in growth and growth inhibiting factor genes, and pathways that inhibit the normal sequence of events associated with apoptosis.
In response to growth factor binding at receptor, the Ras gene product combines wth GTP to promote cell division
But in cancer cells, the RAS gene product is locked into its GTP-binding shape and does not require a signal at the receptor in order to stimulate cell division
Three classes of genes frequently are mutated cancer:
Proto-oncogenes
( oncogenes)
Tumor suppressor genes
Mutator genes