The Eukaryotic Cell Cycle and Cancer

The eukaryotic cell cycle comprises a sequence of events that culminate in cell division. Proteins at different checkpoints throughout the cell cycle regulate progression from one phase to the next—a process that usually works without errors. When errors do occur, they can have catastrophic consequences, including the development of cancer: cells progress through the cycle unchecked, replicating indefinitely to form tumors.

This Click and Learn supports the 2013 Holiday Lectures on Science. Students can toggle between two different views. The first view describes the cell cycle phases and checkpoints, including illustrations of the cell’s chromosomes. The second view explains the protein regulators, their roles in cell cycle progression, and how mutated versions of these proteins can lead to cancer. The modular nature of this Click and Learn makes it adaptable to all levels of high school biology and introductory college biology.

Download the accompanying worksheet (PDF) for students to complete as they go through the Click and Learn.