9.

3- Cell Cycle
Regulation
Normal Cell Cycle
The cell cycle in eukaryotic cells is
controlled by a combination of two
substances:!
• Cyclins are proteins that
bind to enzymes called
cyclin-dependent kinases
(CDKs).
Different cyclin/CDK
combinations control different
activities during different stages
of the cell cycle.!
Quality control checkpoints
•  The cell cycle has built-in
checkpoints that monitor the cycle
and can stop it if something goes
wrong.!
•  There are checkpoints after each
stage of interphase to protect
against duplicating DNA damage.!
Abnormal Cell Cycle: Cancer
Cancer is the uncontrolled
growth and division of cells !
-cells stop following the
checkpoints of the cell cycle.!
Cancer cells can kill an
organism by crowding
out normal cells, and
using the resources like
food and oxygen.!
Causes of cancer
Carcinogens Substances that are
know to cause cancer!
Mutations (changes) in DNA !
-environmental factors such as:!
cigarette smoke, asbestos, X-
rays, UV radiation!
Apoptosis is the process of
programmed cell death.!
•  Cells going through apoptosis
shrink and shrivel and
eventually die.!
Apoptosis occurs
normally during
development, as well as in
cells that are damaged,
and in cells that may lead
to cancerous growths.!
Multicellular organisms have
specialized cells. !
(ex: muscle cell, blood cell, nerve cell)!
stem cells - undifferentiated cells
that can become any kind of
specialized cells. !
Embryonic stem cells
•  After fertilization, the first
100-150 cells are
undifferentiated!
•  As development continues,
those cells receive signals to
change into specialized cells.!
!
Adult stem cells
•  Found in tissues in the body !
•  Can be used to maintain and
repair tissue.!
•  More developed/specialized
than embryonic stem cells, but
able to differentiate into
different kinds of cells.!