Surplus chromosomes may fuel tumor growth in some cancers
Without that extra genetic material, cancerous cells form fewer tumors in mice
Mistakes that happen as cells replicate their DNA, repair broken DNA or divide into two cells can result in an extra or missing copy of a chromosome. In this microscope image, one chromosome (green) lags behind as a HeLa cancer cell divides.
Iain M. Porter/Univ. of Dundee, Wellcome Images (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)
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