Experiment 5: The Importance of Cell Cycle Control

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Post-Lab Questions

1. Record your hypothesis from Step 1 here.

2. What do your results indicate about cell cycle control?

3. Suppose a person developed a mutation in a somatic cell that diminishes the performance of the body’s natural cell cycle control proteins. This mutation resulted in cancer but was effectively treated with a cocktail of cancer-fighting techniques. Is it possible for this person’s future children to inherit this cancer causing mutation? Why or why not?

4. Why do cells that lack cell cycle control exhibit karyotypes that look physically different than cells with normal cell cycle control?

5. What are HeLa cells? Why are HeLa cells appropriate for this experiment?

6. Research the function of the protein p53. Explain how changes in p53 activity may affect cell cycle control.

7. What is the Philadelphia chromosome? How is this chromosome related to cancer? Identify how this chromosome appears physically different on a karyotype than it appears on a karyotype of normal chromosomes.

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