Question

Part II: Ann’s doctor is worried enough to send her to a breast cancer specialist, just to be safe. Ann makes an appointment and is referred for a mammogram, which will image the soft tissue in the breast. After the mammogram and an exam, she meets with the surgeon, Dr. Hernandez. Dr. Hernandez is also concerned, as she felt and has images from the mammogram of a small tumor. She recommends a biopsy of the tumor as soon as possible. Ann goes in the same day for the quick surgical procedure where a needle is inserted and part of the tumor is taken for analysis. The tumor will be analyzed by a pathologist, a specialist in looking for disease in tissue samples.

1. The pathologist examines the cells taken from the tumor, particularly the number of cells in mitosis. Below are the results. In normal breast cells, one would expect 0-4 cells per 10 high-powered field of view (microscopy) undergoing mitosis. Cell Cycle Stage Number of Tumor Cells in 10 High-Power Fields Interphase 120 Prophase 7 Metaphase 2 Anaphase 10 Telophase 0 Based on the above results, what can you conclude about the tumor cells? Can you say definitively that they are cancerous? Be sure to support your answer with the data above. INSERT ANSWER

2. The pathologist also looks for three receptors on the tumor cells: estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and HER2 receptors.

a. What type of macromolecule class are cell receptors? What is the monomer? INSERT ANSWER b. What is the role of cell receptors in cellular function? INSERT ANSWER

c. Ann’s tumor was positive for estrogen and progesterone receptors, but negative for the HER2 receptor. What is the role of estrogen receptors on a cell? Remember to cite your sources using APA Style. INSERT ANSWER

Answer 1

1. ANS: Based the data above the researcher would claim that her tumor may be cancerous. Considering she has 139 cells in mitosis and the average is 0-4 cells. The researcher also notes that 0 cells have reached telophase out of all of them.

2a. ANS: Cell receptors are proteins and therefore the monomer is amino acids (openstax 2013)

2b. ANS: As mentioned by Openstax and a cell receptor, protein that transmits a signal from the exterior of the cell to the interior, even though the ligand does not enter the cell (2013).

2c. ANS: Estrogen receptors are proteins inside a cell, they get activated by the hormone estrogen. Two classes are known, ERa and ERb, there is also inter cellular receptors and membrane estrogen receptors. The ER is supposed to go into the nucleus and bind to DNA and its role is to regulate the different genes. It also plays a role in development as a hormone receptor (Levin 2005).