Chromosome caps may explain cell immortality
- added October 18, 2007
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- Mr_Costello
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Telomeres, the supposedly "dead" sections of DNA that cap the ends of chromosomes, are showing definite signs of life. Telomeres shorten every time a cell divides until they reach a critical length - at which point the cell dies through a process called apoptosis. Cancers sometimes develop when the telomerase enzyme gets switched on and rebuilds the telomeres, making the cells immortal.
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- Mr_Costello
- 11 months ago
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