High School

Describe the Hayflick limit. How do cancer cells manage to defy this barrier to division? Can any other type of cells defy the limit?

Answer :

The Hayflick limit is the concept that normal human cells have a limited number of divisions before they reach a state of irreversible growth arrest known as cellular senescence.

Normal cells undergo a finite number of divisions due to the progressive shortening of telomeres, which are protective structures at the ends of chromosomes. Telomeres shorten with each round of cell division until they reach a critical length, triggering cell cycle arrest and senescence.

Cancer cells, however, have mechanisms to bypass the Hayflick limit and continue dividing indefinitely. They achieve this by activating the enzyme telomerase, which maintains the length of telomeres, allowing cells to evade senescence and achieve immortality.

Apart from cancer cells, certain types of stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells and some adult stem cells, also possess the ability to maintain telomere length and divide beyond the Hayflick limit. This ability is attributed to their unique capacity for self-renewal and tissue regeneration.

In conclusion, the Hayflick limit defines the maximum number of divisions normal human cells can undergo before entering a state of senescence, while cancer cells and certain types of stem cells can bypass this limit through mechanisms such as telomerase activation or inherent stem cell properties, respectively, allowing them to divide beyond the Hayflick limit.

To know more about Hayflick limit refer here:

https://brainly.com/question/14396501

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