This is the fruit fly
with an epithelial tumor in it.
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Today
I read an article entitled “Researchers Create a Fly to Study How a Normal Cell
Turns Cancerous”. As I was reading the article I was thinking “Yes, we have a
cure for cancer!” But no, we are only one step closer on finding how normal
cells turn into cancerous ones. In this article Andres Dekanty, an Argentinian
scientist in the Milan Lab explains to the reader how the fruit fly can help
scientists discover new information about cancerous cells. Scientists use fruit
fly wings as inexpensive cells that allow them to monitor genes and molecules in
each step of cancer growth. They can closely watch and monitor how the cells
change and grow. “For the first time we have a genetic model that allows us to
understand the events that take place, starting from when cells begin to
accumulate genomic errors until the development of a tumor” stated
Dekanty.
The Milan lab researchers started their experiment by “provoking genomic
instability” in the wing of the fruit fly. I had to look up what “genome
instability” means and to the best of my ability it means this, “An increased
tendency of the genes to acquire mutations (changes) when various processes
involved in maintaining and replicating the genes are dysfunctional.” Basically,
what they are doing is stopping the cells from putting up their “natural defense
mechanism” so they can survive. When this happened they could see the cells
spread and contaminate nearby tissues. These events contribute to how cancer
spreads. According to Dekanty, if they can show this genomic instability then
they can work easier to find exact targets to see if genomic instability is a
cause of cancer. Dekanty believes if scientists can “clearly differentiate” a
bad cell from a healthy one, it will be a huge step in the developing of a drug
that would only treat the cancerous cell.
I believe cancer causes pain, hurt, destruction, and uncertainty for yourself
and the ones you love. However it’s fascinating to witness all the science being
investigated and discovered. Who knows? Maybe in the next decade or so we will
have a cure for cancer and there will be no more pain and
suffering.
Check
this article out!!!
