Cancer Cell Signaling

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Questions and Answers

What is a key difference in growth factor signalling between normal cells and cancer cells?

Normal cells require ligand binding for signalling, while cancer cells do not. (correct)

Normal cells have constitutive receptor signalling, while cancer cells do not.

Normal cells use autocrine growth factors, while cancer cells do not.

Cancer cells produce growth factors, but normal cells do not.

What is a way in which cancer cells can deregulate receptor signalling?

By increasing the production of ligands.

By reducing the production of autocrine growth factors.

By truncating tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors. (correct)

By expressing fewer growth factor receptors.

What is a characteristic of normal cells in terms of growth factor production?

They produce growth factors and express cognate receptors.

They always produce growth factors.

They never produce growth factors. (correct)

They produce growth factors, but not the cognate receptors.

What is a consequence of deregulation of growth factor receptor signalling in cancer?

Cancer cells become independent of their environment. Signup and view all the answers

What type of receptors are often altered in human tumours?

Tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of growth factors in normal tissue architecture?

To trigger specific biological responses in cells Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential consequence of uncontrolled receptor activation in cancer cells?

Cell proliferation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of growth factor receptors in cancer?

Deregulation of cell survival Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of growth factor binding to its receptor?

Triggering of an intracellular signalling cascade Signup and view all the answers

Which type of hormone is lipid soluble and can passively traverse the cell membrane?

Steroid hormone Signup and view all the answers

What is the central mechanism in the development of cancer?

Deregulation of growth factor signalling Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of nuclear receptors in hormone signaling?

To modulate gene transcription Signup and view all the answers

Which hormone is implicated in the development of uterine cancer?

Estrogen Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) in cancer?

Aberrant receptor signalling Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism of hormone signaling through receptors?

Modulation of gene transcription Signup and view all the answers

How do cells receive signals from their surroundings in normal tissue architecture?

Through soluble factors released in the extracellular space Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of deregulation of growth factor signaling in cancer cells?

Uncontrolled cell proliferation Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Growth Factors and Growth Factor Receptors in Cancer

Normal tissue architecture is maintained by communication between cells, which receive signals from their surroundings through growth factors
Growth factors are proteins released in the extracellular space, binding to specific growth factor receptors on recipient cells, triggering an intracellular signalling cascade
Growth factor receptors are often involved in cancer, inducing differences in cell shape, survival, and motility
Deregulation of growth factor signalling is central to the development of cancer, allowing cancer cells to generate their own internal signals to stimulate proliferation

Deregulation of Growth Factor Signalling in Cancer

Normal cells require ligand binding for signalling, whereas cancer cells use tactics like mutations, truncation, and overexpression to deregulate receptor signalling
This leads to constitutive, ligand-independent receptor signalling, making cancer cells independent of their environment
Tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors are often altered in human tumours

Autocrine Growth Factors in Cancer

In normal cells, growth factors are not produced by the cells that express cognate receptors
In cancer, tumour cells can produce growth factors and express cognate receptors, creating an autocrine loop leading to uncontrolled receptor activation and cancer cell proliferation

Molecular Target Therapy: Growth Factor Receptors

Deregulated growth factor receptor signalling is a target for cancer treatment

Hormones and Hormone Signalling in Cancer

Hormones are signalling molecules that control development and function of many organs
Hormones influence cancer development, and hormone signalling pathways are targets in diagnosis and treatment for a range of cancers

Estrogen and Progesterone in Cancer

Estrogen and progesterone are essential for normal reproductive development and function
Both hormones are implicated in the development of breast cancer, and estrogen also stimulates uterine cancer growth

Hormone Signalling

Hormones signal through receptors, which receive a specific signal from outside the cell to cause a physiological change
Receptors for protein hormones and small polar ligands are located at the cell membrane
Non-polar steroid hormones passively traverse the cell membrane to activate signalling via nuclear receptors
Nuclear receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors

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Description

Learn about the differences in growth factor signaling between normal and cancer cells. Understand how cancer cells become independent of their environment through mutations and altered receptor signaling.