Answer
Characteristics of cancer cells:
1. Cancer cells are undifferentiated: they do not look like the cells of any specific tissue --epithelium, muscle, nervous tissue or connective tissue.
2. Cancer cells have abnormal nuclei: the nuclei are larger than normal and often have abnormal chromosomes.
3. Cancer cells possess unlimited potential to replicate, whereas normal cells stop dividing after about 70 replications. In cancer cells the telomeres do not get shorter; this enables these cells to divide indefinitely.
4. Cancer cells lose contact inhibition. This enables them to grow over and on top of one another to form lumps of tissue--tumors.
5. Cancer cells are insensitive to growth factors --stimulatory and inhibitory.
Gradually, cancer cells change into atypical /abnormal cells.
Work Step by Step
Characteristics of cancer cells:
1. Cancer cells are undifferentiated: they do not look like the cells of any specific tissue --epithelium, muscle, nervous tissue or connective tissue.
2. Cancer cells have abnormal nuclei: the nuclei are larger than normal and often have abnormal chromosomes.
3. Cancer cells possess unlimited potential to replicate, whereas normal cells stop dividing after about 70 replications. In cancer cells the telomeres do not get shorter; this enables these cells to divide indefinitely.
4. Cancer cells lose contact inhibition. This enables them to grow over and on top of one another to form lumps of tissue--tumors.
5. Cancer cells are insensitive to growth factors --stimulatory and inhibitory.
Gradually, cancer cells change into atypical /abnormal cells.
