AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Cancer is unchecked cell growth. Mutations in genes can cause cancer by accelerating cell division rates or inhibiting normal controls on the system, such as cell cycle arrest or programmed cell death. As a mass of cancerous cells grows, it can develop into a tumor.

Detailed explanation-2: -If cells don’t pass the G1 checkpoint, they may “loop out” of the cell cycle and into a resting state called G0, from which they may subsequently re-enter G1 under the appropriate conditions. At the G1 checkpoint, cells decide whether or not to proceed with division based on factors such as: Cell size.

Detailed explanation-3: -Checkpoints are mechanisms that regulate progression through the cell cycle insuring that each step takes place only once and in the right sequence. Mutations of checkpoint proteins are frequent in all types of cancer as defects in cell cycle control can lead to genetic instability.

Detailed explanation-4: -DNA repair genes are involved in fixing damaged DNA. Cells with mutations in these genes tend to develop additional mutations in other genes and changes in their chromosomes, such as duplications and deletions of chromosome parts. Together, these mutations may cause the cells to become cancerous.

Detailed explanation-5: -Tumors often acquire mutations that disable checkpoints and cancer cells can therefore progress unimpeded into S-phase, through G2 and into mitosis with chromosomal DNA damage.