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CancerQuest > Introduction to Cancer Biology > Introduction to Cell Division and Mitosis > Section Summary: Cell Division

Section Summary: Cell Division

Cell Division Control Introduction

• Cell division is a normal process.
• Mechanisms exist to ensure DNA replication occurs correctly and the environmental conditions are favorable for cell division. Replication errors may also be corrected after they occur.
• Normal cells stop dividing when there is genetic damage or conditions are not favorable. Cancer cells continue to divide even when conditions are not appropriate.

Cell Division Signaling

• Most cells in the body are not actively dividing, but are carrying out their normal functions.
• Cells divide in response to external signals in the form of protein or steroid growth factors.
• Cells stop dividing for several reasons, including:
  1. A lack of positive external signals
  2. The cell senses that it is surrounded on all sides by other cells-contact dependent (density dependent) inhibition
  3. Most cells seem to have a pre-programmed limit of the number of times they can divide

Cell Division in Cancer Cells

• Cancer cells can divide without appropriate external signals.
• Cancer cells do no exhibit contact inhibition.
• Cancer cells continue dividing in the presence of genetic damage.
• The uninhibited, continued division of genetically damaged cells can lead to tumor formation.