Florida Biology EOC Practice Test

In cancerous cells, there is a significant loss of the mechanisms that normally regulate cell growth and division. Typically, healthy cells divide in a controlled manner, responding to signals that promote or inhibit growth. In contrast, cancerous cells exhibit unchecked growth, primarily due to mutations in genes that regulate the cell cycle and other processes important for maintaining normal cellular function.

Cells lose the ability to control cell growth, which allows them to divide uncontrollably. This abnormal growth leads to the formation of tumors and can disrupt the normal function of surrounding tissues and organs. Moreover, cancer cells might evade mechanisms that would typically induce programmed cell death, allowing them to survive and proliferate when they should not.

Understanding this distinction highlights the nature of cancer as a disruption of normal cellular processes, making it crucial for interventions and treatments to target these uncontrolled growth patterns.