Question 8 • HVA 26-27 IM Biology A
Answer:
Tissue cultures of cancer cells involve removing cells from a living organism and placing them in a nutrientrich environment for growth. Cancer cells in a culture grow at an uncontrolled rate because they do not respond to normal regulatory signals. Unlike healthy cells, they lack contact inhibition, so they will continue to divide and pile up in multiple layers even after touching adjacent cells. Furthermore, cancer cells are often immortal in culture, meaning they can undergo mitotic divisions an unlimited number of times.