Cancer, Cell Differentiation, and Developmental Processes

Flashcards created from lecture notes on cancer, cell differentiation, and development, focusing on key concepts and their definitions.

What cellular process is at the bottom of cancer?

A cellular process.

Approximately how many protein coding genes are in the human genome?

21,000

What is used to compare two different cell types by extracting messenger RNA?

RNA sequencing.

In a comparison of two cells, what are the genes that are similar responsible for?

Basic cellular functions every cell needs to undergo.

What makes cells uniquely different from one another?

Unique genes for specific cell types.

What is the process called where proteins migrate in a gel based on pH?

Isoelectric focusing procedure

What can different combinations of transcription factors do?

Establish different cell types.

What processes occur in development as a result of gene expression?

Cell proliferation, cell specialization/differentiation, and cell signaling.

What happens to cells during cell proliferation?

Cells multiply.

What is happening during cell differentiation?

Cells are specialized from an undifferentiated cell.

What is happening during cell signaling?

Cells talk to one another.

What is an example of a simple multicellular organism?

C. Elegans

What is divisional asymmetry?

When one daughter cell inherits most of the material, making the two cells different.

What are p granules?

Material localized to one part of the cell during division.

What happens if you ablate the cell containing p granules with a laser?

You get a sterile worm.

What is environmental signaling asymmetry?

External factors induce developmental changes in cells.

What does an inductive signal work in?

Paracrine signaling fashion.

What does cleavage involve?

Asymmetric cell divisions establishing founder cells.

When does gastrulation begin?

When the intestinal progenitor cells sink to the interior of the embryo.

What is the real time sequence focusing focusing through the embryo?

Nuclei divide and the plasma membrane remains intact for several cell divisions.

What happens at some point when there are enough?

Nuclei all migrate to the cell periphery and encapsulates the nuclei to make one layer of cells.

Where will pole cells form?

At the posterior end of the embryo.

What are pole cells?

Germ cells

When is the wave of cellularization visible?

After the nuclei have migrated to the cell periphery.

What marks the onset of gastrulation?

Ventral funnel formation.

When are the major organ systems established?

During the time of germ band extension.

What does the cell that contains the nucleus do?

Divides completely, but it's pushed aside on the side of this yolk.

What does the mass of cells do?

Goes around the yolk and encapsulates it.

What is the blastoderm?

Begins to spread as continuous sheath over the yolk.

What happens during epiphyllis?

Some cells from the external layer tuck into the interior of the embryo.

What did Brown v. Board of Education (1954) rule?

Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.

How many protein coding genes does the human genome contain?

Approximately 21,000

What technique can be used to compare gene expression in different cell types?

RNA sequencing

In gene expression plots, what do genes in the top right corner represent?

Genes highly expressed in sample 1 with high confidence.

What do shared genes between different cell types typically represent?

Genes essential for basic cellular functions.

What technique separates proteins based on molecular weight and charge?

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with isoelectric focusing

How do transcription factors contribute to cell diversity?

By combining in various ways to establish different cell types

What is a key characteristic of organism development?

Interplay between gene expression and developmental processes

What are the key processes that occur during development?

Cell proliferation, differentiation and cell signaling

What describes the process of cells specializing into different types.

Cell differentiation

What function does cell signaling serve in development?

Enables cells to communicate with one another

What happens to the number of regulatory genes as organismal complexity increases?

Becomes more complicated for systems of control to carry out processes

How does divisional asymmetry contribute to cell differentiation?

One daughter cell inherits specific material making cells different

What is segregated as an extreme example of divisional asymmetry in some organisms?

Specific localized materials

What observation can result from ablating cells with segregated material?

Worms form via cells, but the germline will not be functional.

How does signaling contribute to environmental asymmetry?

Cells exposed to the signals are directed to new developmental pathways

Which type of signaling is used in inductive signaling?

Paracrine signalling.

What happens during early cleavage in some embryos?

Cytoplasmic contractions as the nuclei divide

In some organisms, what do cells do by the end of development?

Fold back on themselves to create more space

What form toward the bottom toward the screen during the wave of cellularization?

Ventral tunnel formation