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Bioinformatics PFUG

Lauren Kirton

July 2010

Special thanks to:

This Connexions module describes work conducted as part of Rice University's VIGRE program, supported by National Science Foundationgrant DMS–0739420.

Dr. Rudy Guerra

Dr. Sendurai Mani

Joe Taube

Introduction

One of the most prominent areas of research today is that of cancerstudy. There exists thousands of studies relating to the causes and cures of cancer. Molecularbiologists at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center research lab believe they have found a breakthrough in the cause of metastatic cancer. This breakthroughpotentially answers the most important question of cancer research-how can we prevent cancer? The research at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center involves a focuson the genetic level, with biological functions discovered only in the past few years. More information can be found in Ref.  [link] .

Introduction to cancer

Over 80% of reported cancer cases are carcinomas. A carcinoma is an invasive malignant tumor composed of transformed, mutatedepithelial cells.

Example of Normal Cells

Normal epithelial cells line the cavities and surfaces of the structures that make up the body. These cells are strict and rigid instructure, held tight together by intercellular junctions. Epithelial cells are specialized, meaning they are made for a specific purpose or structure (i.e.skin tissue, organ tissue, etc.).

A carcinoma forms when mutated epithelial cells begin to form a tumor in a localized region. There are five stages of carcinoma,describing the extent or severity of an individual's cancer. Common elements of staging systems include location of the primary tumor, tumor size and number oftumors, lymph node involvement, cell type and tumor grade, and presence of metastasis.

In higher stages of carcinoma, a higher chance of metastasis that is likely to occur. Carcinoma is very treatable or curable.Carcinoma tumors can be removed with surgery, or killed with radiation, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy.

Example of Mesenchymal Cells

Fatality associated with cancer stems from metastasis of the cancer. Metastatic cancer refers to cancer cells that spread from aprimary epithelial based tumor to another location in the body where these cells form a metastatic based tumor. These cells, known as mesenchymal cells, possessstem cell like properties and can differentiate into a variety of cell types. These cells are spindly-like and very spread apart, allowing for easy transferthroughout the body. Mesenchymal cells have long proliferation and are unspecialized, making the spread of cancer elsewhere in the body fairlyeasy.

Epithelial mesenchymal transition (emt)

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a process of biological cells in which epithelial cells express losses of cell adhesion,repression of E-cadherin expression and allow the cells increased mobility. There are several transcription factors that induced EMT. Transcriptionalfactors Snail and Slug are repressors of E-cadherin, and the expression of these two transcription factors induces EMT. The transcription factors S, T, G and B are known to induce EMT. When these four transcriptionfactors undergo EMT, expression of FOXC2 is observed, an important factor known to induce EMT and regulate metastasis.The process of EMT begins when epithelial cells in a high stage carcinoma undergo some process that mutate these cells into mesenchymal cells. Thesemesenchymal cells then enter the blood stream through capillaries that cover the tumor and travel throughout the body. These cells can then exit the bloodstreamand return to the carcinogenic epithelial cells and begin to form a second tumor elsewhere in the body.

Questions & Answers

what is mutation
Janga Reply
what is a cell
Sifune Reply
how is urine form
Sifune
what is antagonism?
mahase Reply
classification of plants, gymnosperm features.
Linsy Reply
what is the features of gymnosperm
Linsy
how many types of solid did we have
Samuel Reply
what is an ionic bond
Samuel
What is Atoms
Daprince Reply
what is fallopian tube
Merolyn
what is bladder
Merolyn
what's bulbourethral gland
Eduek Reply
urine is formed in the nephron of the renal medulla in the kidney. It starts from filtration, then selective reabsorption and finally secretion
onuoha Reply
State the evolution relation and relevance between endoplasmic reticulum and cytoskeleton as it relates to cell.
Jeremiah
what is heart
Konadu Reply
how is urine formed in human
Konadu
how is urine formed in human
Rahma
what is the diference between a cavity and a canal
Pelagie Reply
what is the causative agent of malaria
Diamond
malaria is caused by an insect called mosquito.
Naomi
Malaria is cause by female anopheles mosquito
Isaac
Malaria is caused by plasmodium Female anopheles mosquitoe is d carrier
Olalekan
a canal is more needed in a root but a cavity is a bad effect
Commander
what are pathogens
Don Reply
In biology, a pathogen (Greek: πάθος pathos "suffering", "passion" and -γενής -genēs "producer of") in the oldest and broadest sense, is anything that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a germ. The term pathogen came into use in the 1880s.[1][2
Zainab
A virus
Commander
Definition of respiration
Muhsin Reply
respiration is the process in which we breath in oxygen and breath out carbon dioxide
Achor
how are lungs work
Commander
where does digestion begins
Achiri Reply
in the mouth
EZEKIEL
what are the functions of follicle stimulating harmones?
Rashima Reply
stimulates the follicle to release the mature ovum into the oviduct
Davonte
what are the functions of Endocrine and pituitary gland
Chinaza
endocrine secrete hormone and regulate body process
Achor
while pituitary gland is an example of endocrine system and it's found in the Brain
Achor
what's biology?
Egbodo Reply
Biology is the study of living organisms, divided into many specialized field that cover their morphology, physiology,anatomy, behaviour,origin and distribution.
Lisah
biology is the study of life.
Alfreda
Biology is the study of how living organisms live and survive in a specific environment
Sifune
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Source:  OpenStax, The art of the pfug. OpenStax CNX. Jun 05, 2013 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10523/1.34
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