How mitosis affect cancer?
Mitosis is the process by which a cell divides into two identical daughter cells. It is essential for growth and development, and also plays a role in wound healing and tissue repair.
In cancer, mitosis is often deregulated, leading to the uncontrolled growth of cells. This can occur due to mutations in genes that control the cell cycle, or due to the activation of oncogenes, which are genes that promote cell growth.
The deregulation of mitosis can lead to several problems, including:
* Aneuploidy: This is a condition in which a cell has an abnormal number of chromosomes. Aneuploidy can disrupt the function of cells and may lead to cell death, but sometimes aneuploidy allows cancer cells to survive and even thrive.
* Tumour growth: The uncontrolled growth of cells can lead to the formation of tumours, which are masses of abnormal tissue. Tumours can be benign, meaning that they do not spread to other parts of the body, or malignant, meaning that they can spread and invade other tissues.
* Metastasis: The process by which cancer cells spread from one part of the body to another is known as metastasis. Metastasis is the leading cause of death in cancer patients.
Mitosis is a fundamental process in cancer, and targeting mitosis is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. There are a number of drugs that can inhibit mitosis, and these drugs are used to treat a variety of cancers.
Mitosis inhibitors work by blocking the key steps in mitosis, thereby preventing the cells from dividing. Some of the more commonly used mitosis inhibitors include:
* Taxanes: These drugs are derived from the bark of the Pacific yew tree. They work by preventing the formation of microtubules, which are essential for cell division.
* Vinca alkaloids: These drugs are derived from the periwinkle plant. They work by binding to tubulin, a protein that is also essential for cell division.
* Polo-like kinase inhibitors: These drugs inhibit the activity of polo-like kinases, which are enzymes that play a role in cell division.
Mitosis inhibitors are effective in treating some types of cancer but can also have side effects, such as fatigue, nausea, hair loss, and diarrhea. These effects are usually manageable and go away after treatment is completed.
Mitosis inhibitors are an important part of cancer treatment, and they continue to be studied for new and more effective ways to treat the disease.