Page 150 - The Miracle in the Cell

THE MIRACLE IN THE CELL
meant to stop-and keeps on dividing, with no regard for its surround-
ing tissues?
This tiny cell, that you're not aware in your daily life and don't
much care about anyway, could become a cancer cell that terminates
your life.

Diseased Cells
In its widest definition, cancer, is abnormal behavior displayed
by cells for reasons not yet understood. It can begin in any cell at any
time, anywhere in the body.
Cancer cells divide at a much faster rate than their normal neigh-
boring cells which stop dividing when they reach maturity. Cancer
cells, however, never stop multiplying as long as they can enjoy a sup-
ply of nutrients.
A change occurs in the interactions of cancer cells with the cells
around them. Compared to before, they display more independent,
egotistical and even bad neighborly relations. For instance, the cells lose
their stickiness, one of the most important factors in development: As
they divide, cells tend to adhere to neighboring cells because of spe-
cial proteins on their surfaces. Normal cells losing this basic feature is
an important factor leading to malignant growths or cancer.
The combination of the above two factors-increased rate of cell
division, and loss of the cell's stickiness-is fatal. This means that from
the time it mutates, this new and discordant tissue will grow rapidly.
Something even worse can take place: The cancer cells can metas-
tasise, or enter the circulation and travel to other places in the body
where they form new cancer colonies. After a while, these malignant
cells can kill the body in which they arose.
In normal cells, limits and prohibitions stop the program of cell
division when particular cells have filled their space, or when they
have reached the total mass predetermined for them. The medical
establishment still does not know what these limits are, how they

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