Cell Cycle and Cancer Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards about cell cycle and cancer based on lecture notes.

G0 Phase

The period of quiescence where cells are not moving through DNA synthesis or cell division.

Terminal G0

A period where the cell will enter senescence and never re-enter the cell cycle, leading to cell death.

START

The point in the cell cycle when fungal cells sense if there are enough nutrients and growth.

Flow Cytometry

Cells in a machine are shot with lasers to determine differences in size and shape.

Primary Cell Culture

Tissues acquired from surgery used for cell culture.

Cell Senescence

Cells cannot return to the cell cycle.

Cell Quiescence

Cells can return to the cell cycle.

Cdc2+/Cdc28

Master kinase of the cell cycle.

M-Phase Promoting Factor (MPF)

Promotes the transition into M phase.

Cyclin

Protein that increases and decreases during the cell cycle; a component of MPF.

Anaphase Promoting Complex (APC)

Mitotic cyclin is ubiquitinated by this to be degraded and allow cell to exit mitosis.

Securin

Destruction of this allows separin to separate cohesins, allowing sister chromatids to separate.

G1 Cyclin Dependent Kinase (CDK)

Inactivation of APC occurs through this.

G1 Phase Cyclins

Promote passage through Start or R point and inactivates APC.

G1/S-Phase Cyclins

Commits the cell to DNA synthesis.

S Phase Cyclins

Promote the initiation of DNA synthesis.

MPF activity

Stimulates nuclear envelope breakdown by phosphorylation of nuclear lamins.

Sic1

Inhibits S phase cyclin in complex with CDK.

Wee1

A kinase that inhibits CDK.

Cdc25

A phosphatase that increases stimulation.

Checkpoint

A point in the cell cycle at which progression arrests until the previous stage is completed or conditions are met.

Mad and Bub proteins

Makes sure the spindle is assembled.

CDC

Binds to anaphase-promoting complex to advance the cell into M phase.

Origin Recognition Complex

Has to get out of the way so DNA replication can occur.

Helicase

Unzips DNA.

Pre-Replication Complex

Origin recognition complex + helicase.

Geminin

Needs to be destroyed in the M phase so ORC and helicase can rebind.

Symmetric Cell Division

Equal cell division.

Asymmetric Cell Division

Unequal cell division that makes 2 different populations.

Cell Lineage

One cell comes from another cell.

Ras Pathway

Mitogens (growth factors) activate this.

PI 2 Kinase/Akt Pathway

Mitogen signaling and activation of PI 3 kinase.

TOR Kinase

A central regulator of cell growth and proliferation.

Puma

Activated p53 leads to expression of this, inhibiting an inhibitor and leading to apoptosis.

Membrane Blebbing

Forms apoptotic bodies from cytoplasm; eventually cleared up by immune cells.

Caenorhabditis Elegans

Important model for tracing cell lineages and isolation of mutants.

Extrinsic Pathway of Apoptosis

Assisted cell suicide.

Intrinsic Pathway of Apoptosis

All events occur internally.

Necrosis

Cell death triggered by external factors, like infection or injury, resulting in uncontrolled damage and inflammation.

Characteristic of Cancer Cells

Less well differentiated.

Transfection

Introduction of exogenous DNA into mammalian cells.

Neoplasm

Cells dividing uncontrollably to form tumors/mass.

Exposome

Result of genetics and environment.

Metastasis

Malignant tumor that is cancerous and can invade other tissues.

Proto-oncogene

Normal growth.

Oncogene

Excessive growth due to mutation.

Monoclonal Tumors

All cells derived from a single cell lineage.

Polyclonal Tumors

Composed of cells derived from multiple cell lineages.

Tumor

Mixed population of cancerous (neoplastic) cells.

Classes of Proteins

Proteins encoded by tumor-suppressor genes; gatekeeper and caretaker.

Myc, Jun, and Fos

Increased expression of these leads to tumorigenesis.

Warburg Effect

Associated with high level of glucose uptake, and increases lipid production in cells.

Self-Sufficiency

Proliferation in the absence of growth factors.

Insensitivity

Anti-growth signals are no longer recognized resulting in release of G1 arrest, degradation of ECM.

Evasion

Escape from apoptosis.

Immortality

Limitless replicative potential.

Cell Senescence

Cells viable; terminal G0, karyotype is stable with no replicative potential or growth.

Cell Crisis

Death by apoptosis; unstable karyotypes.

Hayflick Limit

Maximum number of divisions and enter terminal G0 and senescence.

End Replication Problem

DNA polymerase needs to be primed, primer is a molecule of RNA.

Telomerase

Telomeres are extended by this.

Burkitt Lymphoma

Reciprocal translocation occurs and MYC is being highly expressed in cells pushing cells into S phase.

Metastasis

Distant sites of colonization after local tissue invasion.

Intravasation

Entering the bloodstream.

Extravasation

Exiting the bloodstream.

Soil and Seed Hypothesis

Cancer spreads like seeds.

Invasion depends on a change of cellular identity

Loss of E-cadherin; gain of N-cadherin, increased motility; degradation of basement membrane (basal lamina).

Mesenchymal

Embryonic cells within the mesoderm forming the connective tissue.

Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition (MET)

Occurs and cells reassume their original identity but they are still cancer cells.

Invasion depends upon matrix metalloproteinases degrading basement membranes

Moving downwards towards ECM by going through basement membranes by degrading proteins.

Invadopodia

Moving downwards towards ECM.