develops when apoptosis is defective. APOPTOSIS The process of cell destruction or programmed cell death. By contrast, a cell that undergoes apoptosis dies neatly, without damaging its neighbors. The cell shrinks and condenses. The cytoskeleton collapses, the nuclear envelope disassembles, and the nuclear DNA breaks up into fragments. Introduction:
Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells caused
by multiple changes in gene expression leading to dysregulated balance of cell proliferation and cell death and ultimately evolving into a population of cells that can invade tissues and metastasize to distant sites, causing significant morbidity and, if untreated, death of the host. Researchers have uncovered the mechanism that cells use to find and destroy an organelle called mitochondria that, when damaged, may lead to genetic problems, neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory disease, and aging. Other Common Disorders Down syndrome is a genetic disorder caused when abnormal cell division results in an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21. This extra genetic material causes the developmental changes and physical features of Down syndrome Mistakes during mitosis lead to the production of daughter cells with too many or too few chromosomes, a feature known as aneuploidy. Nearly all aneuploidies that arise due to mistakes in meiosis or during early embryonic development are lethal, with the notable exception of trisomy 21 in humans. ➔ Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome is a genetic condition characterized by the dramatic, rapid appearance of aging beginning in childhood. Something to ponder: