Applied M1&2

• No part of this lecture may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing by the Biology 1A03 professor Dr. Lovaye Kajiura
• Copying Biology 1A03 lecture materials for distribution, for example uploading materials to a commercial website, is strictly prohibited
• McMaster University meets and learns on the traditional territories of the Mississauga and Haudenosaunee nations, and within the lands protected by the "Dish With One Spoon" wampum
• Theme 4


  DNA Replication & Mitosis
• Laser Beam Experiment
• To help you learn this experiment, I have included a detailed summary posted in my NOTES underneath this Powerpoint slide and others, when viewed in "Normal" slide mode
• You must download the Powerpoint Presentation Slides to view the "Notes"
• How Do Microtubules Move Chromosomes during Mitosis?
• Johnson & Rao's Cell Fusion Experiments
• Markert & Masui's Microinjection Experiments
• 1. Phase Cytoplasm contains regulatory molecules that induces M phase in interphase cells
• How were their lives impacted by uncontrolled cell division?
• Canadian Cancer Statistics
• The Cancer Journey
• Normal Cells


  • Exhibit Limited Growth
• Cancer Cells


  • Display Excessive Cell Division
  • Usually continue dividing well beyond a single layer, forming a clump of overlapping cells
  • Do not exhibit anchorage dependence
  • Do not display density-dependent inhibition
• Characteristics of Cancer Cells

  • Divide faster than normal cells
  • Uncontrolled cell division
  • Cell cycle is not regulated
  • Cell cycle checkpoints are disrupted
• Stages of Cancer
• Chemotherapy Drugs


  Vincristine (from rosy periwinkle) & Taxol (from Pacific Yew tree's bark) are anti-microtubule agents. These plant extracts inhibit spindle fiber formation, which results disruption of mitosis
• Steve Jobs 1955-2011 His Legacy
• Advances in Cancer Research: Pim 1 Biomarker for pancreatic cancer, Afinitor Drug, Pancreatic Cancer Immunotherapy
• Cancer Research in Hamilton
• Novartis receives Health Canada approval of its CAR-T cell therapy in Sept 2018
• CAR-T therapy harnesses the potential of the individual's own immune system to target & destroy cancer cells. It is a major advancement in the emergence of immune-based strategies in cancer care
• Acetaldehyde is toxic. If too much alcohol is consumed the body, acetaldehyde then builds up in the body. Acetaldehyde can cause irreversible DNA damage, leading to cancer
• Consuming large amounts of alcohol can cause circulating estrogen levels to increase. This can lead to breast cancer in women through: abnormal development of breast tissue, increased cell production and rearrangement, increased DNA damage
• Alcohol can act as a solvent, making other carcinogens (e.g. tobacco) more easily absorbed into cells, leads to cancers of the mouth, throat and esophagus
• Next Lecture: THEME 4 DNA Replication & Mitosis, Module 3 Applications of DNA Replication, Module 4 DNA Mutations