VISION

A premier university in historic

Cavite recognized for excellence in
the development of morally
upright and globally competitive
individuals.

Republic of the Philippines

CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
(CvSU)
Don Severino De Las Alas Campus
Indang, Cavite
College of Nursing

Written Report
Cell Proliferation

Submitted by:
Mizchelle A. Villador
BS Nursing Level III

Submitted to:
Evelyn Del Mundo, RN, MAN, PhD.

MISSION
Cavite State University shall provide
excellent, equitable and relevant
educational opportunities in the arts,
science and technology through quality
instruction and relevant research and
development activities. It shall produce
professional, skilled and morally upright
individuals for global competitiveness.

CELL PROLIFERATION
Cell proliferation is the process that results in an increase of the number of cells, and
is defined by

the

balance

between cell divisions

and cell loss

through cell death

or

differentiation. Cell proliferation produces two cells from one, and it requires cell growth
followed by cell division. It is increased in tumours.
Several patterns of cell growth exist:
1. Hyperplasia increases in the number of cells of a tissue; most often associated with
periods of rapid body growth
2. Metaplasia conversion of one type of mature cell into another type of cell
3. Dysplasia bizarre cell growth resulting in cells that differ in size, shape, or arrangement
from other cells of the same type of tissue
4. Anaplasia cells that lack normal cellular characteristics and differ in shape and
organization with respect to their cells of origin; usually, anaplastic cells are malignant.
5. Neoplasia uncontrolled cell growth that follows no physiologic demand
In normal tissues, cell proliferation is generally restricted to cells that replenish the tissue.
Most tissues are thought to contain stem cells that have this replenishment function
(Figure 1).

Stem cells are self-renewing cells that can divide asymmetrically to yield a new
stem cell and a progenitor cell. Progenitor cells may or may not undergo further
divisions, ultimately leading to terminal differentiation.

Cell number is dependent not only on cell proliferation, but also on cell death.
Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is the process by which excess or damaged
cells in the body are removed. It is the balance between the production of new
cells and cell death that maintains the appropriate number of cells in a tissue
(referred to as homeostasis). Apoptosis is also a key mechanism by which cancerprone cells are eliminated. Both normal apoptotic processes and normal cell
mechanisms that control proliferation usually need to be altered to produce
enough abnormal cell proliferation to cause cancer.

THE CELL CYCLE

EVOLUTION OF CELL SIGNALING AND CANCER

Cells integrate the many signals that they receive in deciding whether to survive,

grow and divide (proliferate), differentiate, or die (apoptosis).

Every cell contains many different cell surface receptor molecules, each of which
recognizes a particular molecule at the cell exterior. Some of these bind to
signaling molecules that have been secreted by neighboring cells, others bind to
protein molecules held in the plasma membrane of tightly opposed adjacent cells,

while others bind to the extracellular matrix.

An individual cell generally requires multiple signals just to survive. It requires
additional signals to grow and divide, and a different set of additional signals to

differentiate.
Proteins within the cell control the cell cycle: Signals affecting critical

checkpoints determine whether the cell will divide (cyclins, kinases)

In laboratory cultures, normal cells divide only when attached to a surface =

anchorage dependent.
Cells continue dividing until they touch one another = density-dependent
inhibition

Cells anchor to dish surface and divide.

When cells have formed a complete
single layer, they stop dividing (densitydependent inhibition).

If some cells are scraped away, the

remaining cells divide to fill the dish with a
single layer and then stop (densitydependent inhibition).

Growth factors are proteins secreted by cells that stimulate other cells to divide

After forming a single layer, cells have

stopped dividing.

Providing an additional supply of growth

factors stimulates further cell division.

Cancer cells have abnormal cell cycles - divide excessively and form tumors

The division of normal cells is precisely controlled. New cells are only formed for growth
or to replace dead ones.

Cancerous cells divide repeatedly out of control even though they are not needed, they
crowd out other normal cells and function abnormally. They can also destroy the correct
functioning of major organs.

Cancer arises from the mutation of a normal gene.

Mutated genes that cause cancer are called oncogenes.

It is thought that several mutations need to occur to give rise to cancer

Cells that are old or not functioning properly normally self destruct and are replaced by
new cells.

However, cancerous cells do not self destruct and continue to divide rapidly producing
millions of new cancerous cells.

A factor which brings about a mutation is called a mutagen.

A mutagen is mutagenic.

Any agent that causes cancer is called a carcinogen and is described as carcinogenic.

So some mutagens are carcinogenic.