What is an example of an anti-cancer strategy involving actin disruption?

Master Cell Division and Cancer essentials. Study with comprehensive questions and detailed explanations. Enhance your understanding and excel in your exam!

The strategy involving actin disruption as an anti-cancer approach primarily focuses on the manipulation of the cytoskeletal components that are critical for cell division. During cytokinesis, the process by which a cell divides its cytoplasm to produce two daughter cells, actin filaments play a vital role in forming the contractile ring that facilitates this separation.

Drugs that depolymerize actin filaments can effectively interfere with this process. By disrupting the formation of actin filaments, these agents prevent the contractile machinery from organizing properly, thereby hindering cytokinesis. This interruption can lead to failed cell division, giving rise to cells that may be unable to proliferate—an important aspect in the context of cancer, where uncontrolled cell division is a hallmark of the disease.

In contrast to the correct answer, other strategies such as promoting actin filament growth, stabilizing actin filaments, or enhancing actin-microtubule interactions do not hinder cell division through actin disruption, and they could potentially support tumor cell survival and proliferation. Thus, the use of drugs that depolymerize actin filaments is a targeted strategy to disrupt cancer cell division, making it an effective anti-cancer approach.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy