How do cancer cells differ from normal cells?

By Rachel Rezabek

Functional DifferencesNormal Cells Cancerous Cells

All organelles are able to communicate

Not all organelles are functional

If it becomes too big it undergoes apoptosis

Cannot undergo apoptosis

Has minimal DNA mutations Has a large amount of DNA mutations

Can replicate 50-100 times before cell death

Can replicate an unlimited amount of times

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/cancerlibrary/what-is-cancer

Organelle Differences

http://www.encognitive.com/node/10346

Normal Cells Cancerous Cells

Fully functional Not all are functional

All are needed to perform functions

Not all are “necessary”

Normal size Non-functional ones smaller (ex: cytoplasm, golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum)

Normal amount Multiple copies of some (nucleus, nucleolus)

http://www.rudyard.org/normal-cells-vs-cancer-cells/

Nuclear DifferencesNormal Cells Cancerous Cells

Have one nucleus Can have multiple nuclei

Have one nucleolus Can have multiple nucleolus’

Gene mutations are minimal and do not affect the cell’s productivity

A large amount of gene mutations that cause the cell to mutate more and grow uncontrollably

http://www.nature.com/nrc/journal/v4/n9/fig_tab/nrc1430_F1.html

http://article.wn.com/view/2014/08/14/UCSD_mouse_study_looks_at_how_breast_cancer_usurps_the_power/

Breast cancer cell with abnormal nuclei

Gene DifferencesNormal Cells Cancerous Cells

Gene mutations are minimal

Gene mutations allow the cell to continually reproduce

Tumor suppressor genes are “on”

Tumor suppressor genes are turned “off” (for example: the BRCA2 receptor gene is turned off in breast cancer)

When telomeres are too short the cell will undergo apoptosis

An extra amount of telomerase is produced, allowing the cell to not undergo apoptosis

Colony of breast cancer cells

http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2012/12/17/malignant-breast-cells-grow-normally-when-compressed/

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