Why Do Normal Cells Undergo Cell Division

Normal cells undergo cell division in an orderly process known as the cell cycle. In this process, normal cells send chemical signals to pass between neighboring cells. This keeps the rate of cell division equal to the rate of cell death. Cancer cells break free from normal constraints and follows it’s own pattern of cell division. Cancer cells divide much more often than normal cells which produces a mass of cells, also called a tumor. Proto-oncogenes makes proteins that encourage cell division. These proteins tell cells to go! P53 is a tumor suppressor gene that does the opposite. These proteins act like brakes in a car. They tell cells to slow down or stop dividing completely. DNA repair genes prevent mutations in cells, which can, in