Data Tables and Post-Lab Assessment
Record your hypothesis from Step 1 in the Procedure section here.
What do your results indicate about cell cycle control?
Suppose a person developed a mutation in a somatic cell which diminishes the performance of the body’s natural cell cycle control proteins. This mutation resulted in cancer, but was effectively treated with a cocktail of cancer-fighting techniques. Is it possible for this person’s future children to inherit this cancer-causing mutation? Be specific when you explain why or why not.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Hypothesis (from Step 1):
If cells are properly regulated by cell cycle control mechanisms, then they will only divide when needed, and abnormal cell growth will be prevented.
What do your results indicate about cell cycle control?
The results indicate that cell cycle control is essential for maintaining healthy tissue and organ function. When control mechanisms such as cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and tumor suppressor proteins (like p53) are functioning correctly, cells divide only when necessary. Disruption of these controls can lead to unchecked cell division, which is a hallmark of cancer. Therefore, proper regulation of the cell cycle prevents abnormal proliferation and supports organismal health.
Question:
Suppose a person developed a mutation in a somatic cell which diminishes the performance of the body’s natural cell cycle control proteins. This mutation resulted in cancer, but was effectively treated with a cocktail of cancer-fighting techniques. Is it possible for this person’s future children to inherit this cancer-causing mutation?
Correct Answer:
No, it is not possible for the person’s future children to inherit the cancer-causing mutation if it occurred in a somatic cell.
To understand inheritance, it’s important to distinguish between somatic and germline cells. Somatic cells are all the cells in the body except for reproductive cells—such as skin cells, liver cells, and blood cells. Germline cells include sperm and egg cells and are responsible for passing genetic information from parents to offspring.
In the scenario provided, the cancer-causing mutation occurred in a somatic cell. This means the mutation affected only the individual and the specific body cells involved, not their reproductive (germline) cells. Because only DNA in germline cells can be passed on to offspring, mutations in somatic cells are not inherited. They are acquired during a person’s lifetime due to environmental factors, replication errors, or other internal or external causes.
Even though the person developed cancer from the somatic mutation and underwent treatment, the mutation remains confined to their body and cannot be transmitted genetically to children. Therefore, the future children of this person will not inherit this particular mutation or the resulting cancer risk.
However, it’s important to note that some cancers can be inherited if the mutation is in the germline, such as mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. In such cases, the mutation is present in every cell of the body, including germ cells, and can be passed to offspring. But this is not the case here.