What can lead to the unregulated cell division?

Unregulated cell division primarily occurs due to mutations in oncogenes or the loss of tumor suppressor function. Oncogenes are genes that, when activated or mutated, promote cell growth and division. Under normal circumstances, they are tightly regulated to prevent excessive cell proliferation. However, when mutations occur in these oncogenes, they can become constitutively active, leading to uncontrolled cell division.

On the other side, tumor suppressor genes serve as a regulatory mechanism to control cell division and repair DNA damage. When these genes are lost or their function is compromised—often due to mutations—cells can bypass normal growth controls, further contributing to unregulated proliferation. Thus, a combination of alterations in both oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes is crucial in the development of cancer, making this choice particularly significant in understanding the mechanisms of carcinogenesis.

The other options refer to conditions that would not lead to unregulated cell division. Activation of tumor suppressor genes or having efficient cell cycle checkpoints would typically prevent uncontrolled division, while loss of regulation of oncogenes would contribute to unregulated division, but this does not encompass the full scope of how mutations impact cell division mechanisms. Therefore, focusing on mutations or loss of function in both oncogenes and