Cancer and Cell Division

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to Cancer and Cell Division.

Cancer

A disease characterized by unregulated cell division.

Mitosis

Normal cell division process that results in two identical daughter cells.

Meiosis

A type of cell division that reduces chromosome number by half and produces gametes.

Tumor

A mass of tissue formed by a collection of abnormal cells.

Benign tumor

A noncancerous tumor that does not invade surrounding tissue.

Malignant tumor

A cancerous tumor that invades surrounding tissues.

Cell Cycle

The series of events that a cell goes through from formation to division.

Interphase

The phase in the cell cycle where the cell grows and prepares for division.

Cytokinesis

The process in cell division where the cytoplasm divides to form two daughter cells.

Diploid

A cell containing two complete sets of chromosomes.

Haploid

A cell containing one complete set of chromosomes.

Checkpoint

Regulatory points in the cell cycle that ensure proper division.

Cyclins

Proteins that regulate the cell cycle by activating cyclin-dependent kinases.

Oncogenes

Genes that, when mutated, can promote uncontrolled cell division.

Tumor suppressor genes

Genes that normally inhibit cell division and prevent tumor formation.

Nondisjunction

The failure of homologous chromosomes to separate normally during meiosis.

Crossing Over

The exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during meiosis.

Polyploidy

The condition of having more than two complete sets of chromosomes.

Chloroplasts

Organelles in plant cells that carry chlorophyll and conduct photosynthesis.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death that removes damaged or unnecessary cells.

Angiogenesis

The formation of new blood vessels to supply tumors with nutrients.

Chemotherapy

A cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill rapidly dividing cells.

Radiation therapy

A treatment that uses high-energy particles to destroy cancer cells.

Genetic variability

The variation in DNA sequences among individuals.

Zygote

The fertilized egg that results from the union of sperm and egg.