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You are here: Home / Cell division and cancer

Cell

The basic unit from which all living organisms are built up, consisting of a cell membrane surrounding cytoplasm and a nucleus.

Cell division

The process by which a parent cell divides into two daughter cells

Tumour

A swelling made up of a mass of abnormal cells which keep multiplying in an uncontrolled way.

Mitosis

Division of a cell nucleus which results in each daughter cell having the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

Metastasized

Cancer that has spread to a new site in the body via blood or lymph vessels

Glossary

A list of often difficult or specialised words with their definitions.

Gene

A short piece of DNA which is responsible for the inheritance of a particular characteristic. It codes for the production of a specific protein. Genes occupy a fixed position, called a locus, on a particular DNA molecule.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid. This is the molecule which contains the genetic code. It coils up tightly inside chromosomes. DNA is a double helix made from two strands which are joined together by pairs of bases.

Cancer

A mass of abnormal cells which keep multiplying in an uncontrolled way.

Cells and cancer

Cancer is a disease that originates in our own cells. A change in the DNA causes a special gene called an oncogene to be switched on. This leads to uncontrollable cell reproduction by mitosis. This is a cancer.

Contents

Cancer cells are able to replicate by overcoming the normal controls of cell division. They may form a lump or tumour which can cause damage to surrounding tissues and organs. Cancer cells may spread from the original (primary) tumour to form new (secondary) tumours throughout the body. When this happens the tumour is said to have metastasized.

This resource looks at how cancer cells develop, the causes of cancer and how treatments are used to tackle cancer.

A newborn baby

A newborn baby
This new born baby has around a billion cells. She will grow and develop as new cells are formed by the process of mitosis (cell division). Sometimes mitosis can go wrong and cause cancer cells to develop.

How to use this site

There are a number of interactive features in this e-source:

  • A glossary of terms: any word with a glossary entry is highlighted like this. Moving the mouse over the highlighted word will show a definition of that word.
  • Quick questions: at the end of most pages or sections there is a question or set of quick questions to test your understanding.
  • Animations: most of the animations can be expanded to full screen size, ideal for showing on an interactive whiteboard. The animations will play all the way through or can be viewed one section at a time.
  • Downloads: Teachers can download individual diagrams, animations and other content from the Download Library area of the website. Terms and Conditions apply.