If You Were to Think of the Cell as a Car

question 56

Multiple Choice

If you were to think of the cell as a car, and mitosis as a process that drives that car to go, what would be a good analogy for a cell that has a mutation in both copies of a tumor-suppressor gene?

• A)The gas pedal of a car gets stuck while pushed down.
• B)The gas pedal of a car does not work at all.
• C)The brake pedal of a car gets stuck while pushed down.
• D)The brake pedal of a car does not work at all. Tumor suppressor genes are like the brakes on the cell cycle.Normally, they prevent cell division in response to problems, such as damaged DNA or incomplete replication.If both copies of a tumor suppressor gene are mutated, that would mean that a cell could not stop dividing in response to normal signals.This is analogous to cutting the brakes on a car.No matter what "signals" emerge (a stop sign, a red light, etc.), it is not possible to stop the car using the brake because there is something wrong with the brakes.

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Definitions:

Random Assignment

A method used in experiments to assign participants to different groups using chance, ensuring each participant has an equal opportunity to be assigned to any group.

Random Sample

A selection method where each member of a population has an equal chance of being included, ensuring the sample's representativeness of the entire population.

Equal Chance

This term means having the same probability or likelihood of occurring as another event, situation, or outcome.

Statistically Significant

A term indicating that the likelihood of an observed difference or relationship happening by chance is low, typically below a pre-set threshold of probability.