Final answer:
Telomerase is a promising target for cancer therapies because it is active in many cancers but not in most adult somatic cells, allowing for targeted inhibition of cancer cell division without affecting normal tissue.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason telomerase is a viable target for cancer therapies is because this enzyme is not expressed in most somatic cells but is activated by many cancers. In cancer cells, telomerase becomes active after the telomeres have already been significantly shortened. By inhibiting telomerase, it may be possible to prevent further division of these cancerous cells. This gene activation is unique to cancer cells and does not ordinarily occur in normal adult tissues, making telomerase a specific target for cancer therapies. Moreover, research has indicated that telomerase activity is crucial for cells that require rapid proliferation, such as germ cells and stem cells, but this activity is not usually found in most adult somatic cells. Telomerase inhibition, thus, has the potential to interfere with the unchecked cell growth characteristic of cancer without affecting normal cellular processes.