Final answer:
To become cancerous, a cell often undergoes mutations that result in the loss of cell-cycle control and uncontrolled cell division (c). This is due to inactive tumor suppressor genes and activated oncogenes leading to the disruption of the cell's ability to regulate division and repair DNA.
Step-by-step explanation:
The steps that lead to a cell becoming cancerous include loss of cell-cycle control and uncontrolled cell division. This process can begin with mutations in tumor suppressor genes, which typically act to prevent cells with damaged DNA from dividing. When these genes are mutated and become inactive, cells are allowed to divide despite having genetic damage. Concurrently, mutations may also occur in proto-oncogenes, which under normal circumstances help control cell division. If these proto-oncogenes are mutated, they become oncogenes that promote cellular division, contributing to the development of cancer. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is (c) Loss of cell-cycle control; uncontrolled cell division.The primary function of tumor suppressor genes is to prevent certain cells from dividing, particularly those with genetic errors (option b).
Mutations that lead to cancer often result in the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes and the activation of oncogenes, which combined cause the cancerous transformation of cells. These changes undermine the cell's normal regulatory mechanisms, allowing for rapid and unregulated cell proliferation, which is the hallmark of cancer.The correct answer is d) All of the above. All of the listed steps can lead to a cell becoming cancerous. Activation of tumor suppressor genes (a) inhibits cell-cycle progression and prevents uncontrolled cell division. Mutations in oncogenes (b) promote uncontrolled cell division. Loss of cell-cycle control (c) and uncontrolled cell division can also contribute to the development of cancer.