Cancer Cells

Cells go through a cycle which includes many processes. These are:
1. Interphase
2. Prophase
3. Metaphase
4. Anaphase
5. Telophase

How do cancers...happen??
When cancers develop, it is because proteins don't work the same way because cells don't go from one stage to the next properly in their cycle. The cancer cells reproduce at a far faster rate than normal cells do. But those cells all seem to have a loss of function. This happens because the cell division does not happen properly. In most cases, cancer takes many years to develop.

So...give an example of a cancer and how it happens...
Let's use breast cancer as an example!
So breast cancer is a type of cancer that will form in any part of the breast. It's more commonly seen in women, but men are also at risk of getting this cancer, too. When cancer begins to occur, cells begin to go through a change which rapidly spreads through the body (as previously stated). Women release a hormone, estrogen, which stimulates cell division, but may effect cells and DNA to be damaged or permanently effected. Women who have not been through a first term of pregnancy still have immature cells and can be more easily effected by this because their cells contain carcinogens that are not as strong or able to repair damaged cells as easily.

How can one treat this?
Through cell technology and radiation techniques, scientists have found new ways to practically zap away the bad! Treatment programs can be created to help the side effects of the cancer be reduces and can even eliminate the cancer altogether!

Sources:
Scitable by Nature Education

The Biology of Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer

As it is the new year, I would like to present to you this month's end-of blog-picture topic! The snake! Happy 2013, the year of the snake!

Cell Membrane Notes

The plasma membrane is common to all cells
Separates:
  Internal living cytoplasmic from
  External environment of cell
Phospholipid bilayer:
  External surface lined with hydrophilic polar heads
  Cytoplasmic surface lined with hydrophilic polar heads
  Non polar, hydrophobic, fatty-acid tails sandwiched between

MEMBRANE MODELS
Fluid-Mosaic Model
Three components:
  Basic membrane referred to as phospholipid bilayer
  protein molecules
    float around like icebergs on a sea
    Membrane proteins may be peripheral or integral
      Peripheral proteins are found on the inner membrane surface
      Integral proteins are partially or wholly embedded (transmembrane) in the membrane
    Some have carbohydrate chains attached
  Cholesterol

How does it do its job?
How does it let stuff through?

It's like a perfume being sprayed. Once the particles get into the air, they spread out more. That's why people across the room can smell just one spray of perfume!

Diffusion: Movement from high concentration to low concentration

Osmosis: diffusion of water across a membrane

What CAN go across a cell membrane WILL go across!

When it is warmer, the molecules move faster. So when it's colder, they must move slower and it's tougher for them to move around.