433
edits
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
Scenescence is determined by telomeres. Telomeres are caps at the end of chromosomes that prevent chromosomes from fusing together. After each division of the cell, the length of the telomere shortens. When the telomere is finally gone, the cell cannot divide anymoer and dies. Cancer cells can avoid this eventual death by introducing telomerase into its cells. Telomerase is a reverse-transcriptase enzyme that makes the telomeres longer after each division, thus preventing them from disappearing. [http://www.senescence.info/telomeres.html] | Scenescence is determined by telomeres. Telomeres are caps at the end of chromosomes that prevent chromosomes from fusing together. After each division of the cell, the length of the telomere shortens. When the telomere is finally gone, the cell cannot divide anymoer and dies. Cancer cells can avoid this eventual death by introducing telomerase into its cells. Telomerase is a reverse-transcriptase enzyme that makes the telomeres longer after each division, thus preventing them from disappearing. [http://www.senescence.info/telomeres.html] | ||
[[Image:Telomere caps.gif|right|150px|Telomere Caps]] | |||
== Apoptosis == | == Apoptosis == |
edits