MICROBIO 160 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Apoptosis, Angiogenesis, Metastasis

• School: UMASS-Amherst
• Department: Microbiology
• Course: MICROBIO 160
• Professor: Heather Reed

Document Summary

Characteristics of a normal cell: reproduce themselves exactly, stop reproducing at the right time, stick together in the right place/specific manner, self destruct if they are damages (apoptosis, become specialized or mature (well differentiated) Checkpoints: cells have checkpoints to regulate the cell cycle, each of these checkpoints has a set of questions. If the answer is no, the cell cycle pauses until there are enough changes that the answer becomes yes. Cancer begins with dna damage: possible causes of cancer: dna damage or mutation exposure to radiation, toxins, hormonal abnormalities, inherited abnormalities, nutrition and diet, tobacco use, viral infection. Cancer incidences increases with age: we"re accumulating incidences of dna damage. Immune system is more active when you"re younger. Decreased dependence on external growth factors: either produce their own growth factors or alter growth receptors their always stay on or overexpressed.