Final answer:
Uncontrollable cell growth is typically referred to as cancer, a disease where the cell cycle is not properly regulated due to damaged DNA and mutations in genes that govern cell division, leading to the possible formation of tumors or rampant cell proliferation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Uncontrollable cell growth refers to a situation where a cell's cell cycle is no longer regulated, often resulting in the formation of tumors or cancer. This can occur when a cell's DNA becomes damaged, either through exposure to hazards like radiation or toxic chemicals, which may then result in mutations in genes that regulate the cell cycle. These mutations disrupt the normal checks and balances that ensure cells only divide when appropriate, leading to a breakdown in control mechanisms and the potential for rapid, uncontrolled division of cells.
These disruptions in the cell cycle can lead to the production of faulty proteins which cannot properly regulate cell growth, leading to the accumulation of even more cellular damage over time. Eventually, this can result in the crowding out of normal, healthy cells by rapidly dividing abnormal cells. In some cases, such as in certain blood cancers, there may not be a visible tumor, but the excessive production of abnormal and nonfunctional blood cells is evident.
Cancer is essentially a disease of the cell cycle, where regulatory systems fail, allowing cells to proliferate unchecked. Unlike normal cells that undergo a series of phases in the cell cycle, including growth phases (G₁ and G₂), DNA synthesis (S), and division (mitosis and cytokinesis), cancerous cells bypass these regulatory stages, often leading to tumor formation or the spread of cancer throughout the body.