Stem Cells & Cancer Lecture 33

Flashcards covering vocabulary related to stem cells and cancer based on lecture notes.

Stem Cells

Undifferentiated cells that have the potential to develop into different types of cells.

Genetic Code

The set of rules by which information encoded in genetic material is translated into proteins.

Codon

A sequence of three nucleotides on mRNA that codes for a specific amino acid.

Telomeres

The protective ends of chromosomes that shorten with each cell division.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death that occurs in a controlled and neat manner.

Necrosis

Uncontrolled cell death caused by external factors, leading to inflammation.

Proto-Oncogenes

Normal genes that, when mutated or overexpressed, can become cancer-causing genes known as oncogenes.

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes that normally prevent uncontrolled cell division; if mutated, they may lead to cancer.

SCNT (Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer)

A cloning technique where the nucleus of a somatic cell is transferred into an enucleated egg cell.

p53 Gene

A tumor suppressor gene that regulates the cell cycle and prevents tumor formation.

Therapeutic Cloning

A cloning technique aimed at creating cells or tissues for medical purposes, rather than for producing a whole organism.

Cancer

A disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and division, leading to the potential invasion of normal tissue.

Genetic Mutations

Changes in the DNA sequence that can contribute to cancer development.

Gene Therapy

A technique that modifies a person's genes to treat or prevent disease.

Cell Differentiation

The process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type.

Cloning

The process of creating a genetically identical copy of an organism.