Cancer cells versus normal cells

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Cancer cells versus normal cells

Discussion Topic 1:

In your own words, explain how cancer cells differ from normal cells in regard to the following:

  1. Telomeres, which are products of telomerase enzyme
  2. Cell to cell communication
  3. Apoptosis
  4. Molecular controls of the cell cycle (include Cdk and Cdk/cyclin complexes, p53 gene/protein, Rb gene/protein in response)

Discussion Topic 2:

In your own words, explain each of the hallmarks of cancer below:

  1. Immortality
  2. Produce go signals
  3. Override stop signals
  4. Resist cell death
  5. Angiogenesis and how it relates to metastasis (more details about these in upcoming week).

Which of these hallmarks of cancer do you think would be the ultimate targets for cancer therapy and why?

Useful sources for the discussion:

Muñoz-Lorente, M. A., Cano-Martin, A. C., & Blasco, M. A. (2019). Mice with hyper-long telomeres show less metabolic aging and longer lifespans. Nature communications10(1), 1-14.

Nault, J. C., Ningarhari, M., Rebouissou, S., & Zucman-Rossi, J. (2019). The role of telomeres and telomerase in cirrhosis and liver cancer. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology16(9), 544-558.

Pfeffer, C. M., & Singh, A. T. (2018). Apoptosis: a target for anticancer therapy. International journal of molecular sciences19(2), 448.

Kakarla, R., Hur, J., Kim, Y. J., Kim, J., & Chwae, Y. J. (2020). Apoptotic cell-derived exosomes: messages from dying cells. Experimental & molecular medicine52(1), 1-6.

Jayatilleke, K. M., & Hulett, M. D. (2020). Heparanase and the hallmarks of cancer. Journal of Translational Medicine18(1), 1-25.