Download Cancer essay 1:

Cancer essay 1:
Describe the role of the cell cycle in the development of cancer. Be sure and address the following:
Name
a) All stages of the cell cycle, including nuclear division
b) Details of the stages of nuclear division
c) Cell Cycle checkpoints and their function
Score essay
d) How neoplastic (cancerous) cells arise and metastasize (thinking of types of genetic factors,
risk factors, and what can affect DNA, as well as how metastasis can happen and how it can lead to death.
e) How are cancers currently treated? What side effects does that cause?
f) Why is it impossible to use one treatment for all cancers?
Per
1
Score essay 2
Rubric: (15 possible, 10 maximum)
___ (3 pts)a) 1 point each for mentioning: Interphase containing G1, S, G2. Mitosis. Cytokinesis.
___(4 pts)B must match description as appropriate
___(1 pt) prophase, first seeing chromosomes, nucleus dissolves
___(1 pt) metaphase, chromosomes line up in middle of cells, centrioles take up
positions on sides.
___(1 pt) anaphase, chromosomes are pulled apart
___(1 pt) telophase, nuclei separate, nuclear membrane reforms, cleavage furor
or cell wall forms to separate cells
___(2 pts) Mention cell cycle checkpoints as stop points for the cell cycle, with protein “guardians” such as cyclins or
cyclin-dependent kinases that can arrest cell cycle. P53 can also be mentioned
___(2 pts) Cancer cells arise when mutations occur in genes for cell cycle checkpoint proteins, and cells begin to grow
out of control.
___(1 pt) Metastasis is defined as cancer cells traveling through the bloodstream to other organs.
___(1 pts) Chemotherapy (drugs that stop mitosis) side effects: all rapidly dividing cells die
___(1 pts) Radiation therapy (breaks DNA, stops S phase) side effects: all cells in S phase can be damaged in that region.
___(1 pts) Each patient could potentially have a different mutation, or different proteins mutated, to cause the cell cycle
unregulation.
Cancer essay 2:
Discuss the role of guardian proteins in the development of cancer. Be sure and address the following:
a) What is p53, and what does it do?
b) How does the activity of p53 help prevent cancer?
c) Describe in which stage of the cell cycle p53 works, and why it can’t work at any other stage.
(be sure and describe the cell cycle and what happens in each stage).
d) Describe how cyclins and kinases (CDKs) work.
e) How are cyclins and cyclin‐dependent‐kinases an example of a feedback mechanism to maintain homeostasis?
f) How can mutations in p53 or cyclins lead to cancer?
Rubric: (15 possible, 10 maximum)
___ (2 pts) p53 is a protein called “guardian of the genome”, which checks DNA for mismatch errors
___(1 pt) cancer is defined as cells growing or dividing out of control.
___(2 pts) p53 is able to check the DNA for errors, and if it detects one, can arrest the cell cycle to stop the cell from
growing out of control.
___(3 pts) the cell cycle is how cells grow and divide. Interphase begins with G1 (growth), S (synthesis of new copy of
DNA), G2 (growth 2 and checking for errors). Then nuclear division, mitosis, occurs, PMAT.
___(2 pts) p53 works during G2, because it checks new DNA for errors. Before G2, Synthesis phase occurs, which is
when new DNA is made. p53 must work after the new DNA is made. It can also check for errors in G1 to
prevent cell from copying incorrect DNA.
___(2 pts) Cyclins and CDKs are proteins that control the cell cycle. Cyclins are only produced at certain times during the
cell cycle, so if there is a problem with the cell cycle the cyclin won’t be produced and the cycle won’t
continue.
___(1 pt) Feedback mechanisms in homeostasis occur when the product of one reaction (like S phase) is required to
activate the genes for the next reaction (like G2). (Negative feedback mechanisms occur when the
product of one reaction halts the reaction itself. )
___(1 pts) p53 can activate to stop cyclins from being produced. Cyclins must be produced for the cell cycle to
continue.
___(1 pts) Each patient could potentially have a different mutation, or different proteins mutated, to cause the cell cycle
unregulation.