IMMORTALIZING ONCOGENE Meaning and
Definition
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An immortalizing oncogene is a gene that plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of cancer by conferring immortality to cancer cells. This term is commonly used in the field of oncology, which focuses on the study and treatment of cancer.
The word "immortalizing" in this context refers to the ability of cancer cells to continue dividing and growing indefinitely, despite the normal mechanisms that limit the lifespan of healthy cells. Oncogenes, on the other hand, are genes that have the potential to cause cancer. When an oncogene is activated or mutated, it can drive the transformation of normal cells into cancer cells by disrupting their normal growth and proliferation control mechanisms.
An immortalizing oncogene, therefore, refers to a specific oncogene that specifically enables cancer cells to acquire the ability to grow and divide in an uncontrolled manner, leading to the formation of tumors. These oncogenes often encode proteins that regulate critical cellular processes, such as cell division, cell death, or DNA repair. By interfering with these processes, immortalizing oncogenes allow cancer cells to bypass the normal checkpoints and fail-safes that prevent uncontrolled growth, leading to the malignant progression of the disease.
Understanding the function and regulation of immortalizing oncogenes is crucial for developing targeted therapies that can selectively inhibit or regulate these genes, with the goal of halting the growth and spread of cancer cells while sparing healthy cells.
Common Misspellings for IMMORTALIZING ONCOGENE
- ummortalizing oncogene
- jmmortalizing oncogene
- kmmortalizing oncogene
- ommortalizing oncogene
- 9mmortalizing oncogene
- 8mmortalizing oncogene
- inmortalizing oncogene
- ikmortalizing oncogene
- ijmortalizing oncogene
- imnortalizing oncogene
- imkortalizing oncogene
- imjortalizing oncogene
- immirtalizing oncogene
- immkrtalizing oncogene
- immlrtalizing oncogene
- immprtalizing oncogene
- imm0rtalizing oncogene
- imm9rtalizing oncogene
- immoetalizing oncogene
- immodtalizing oncogene
Etymology of IMMORTALIZING ONCOGENE
The term "immortalizing oncogene" consists of two main parts: "immortalizing" and "oncogene".
1. "Immortalizing":
- Etymology: The word "immortalizing" is derived from the term "immortalize", which originated from the Latin word "immortalis" meaning "not subject to death" or "everlasting". The suffix "-ize" was added to create the verb form, meaning "to make (something) immortal" or "to give (something) lasting fame or significance".
- Usage: In genetics and molecular biology, the term "immortalizing" is often used to describe a gene or mechanism that enables cells to overcome normal cellular aging or programmed cell death, allowing them to proliferate indefinitely.
