What happens when mitosis goes wrong?

When mitosis goes wrong, it can lead to abnormal cell division, resulting in conditions like cancer and genetic disorders.

Mitosis is a process of cell division that results in two daughter cells each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus. It's a crucial part of growth, development, and repair in living organisms. However, sometimes errors can occur during this process, leading to abnormal cell division. This can have serious consequences, including the development of diseases and disorders.

One of the most common outcomes when mitosis goes wrong is cancer. Cancer is essentially uncontrolled cell division. When the checkpoints that normally regulate mitosis fail, cells can start to divide uncontrollably, forming a tumour. These cancerous cells can then invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body, a process known as metastasis.

Another potential consequence of faulty mitosis is genetic disorders. For instance, Down syndrome is caused by an error in cell division known as nondisjunction. This is when the chromosomes do not separate properly during mitosis, resulting in an extra copy of chromosome 21. This leads to the characteristic features of Down syndrome, including intellectual disability and certain physical abnormalities.

Errors in mitosis can also lead to other types of chromosomal abnormalities. For example, if a chromosome breaks and the fragments rejoin in an incorrect arrangement, it can result in conditions like Cri du Chat syndrome or chronic myelogenous leukaemia.

In summary, when mitosis goes wrong, it can lead to a range of serious health problems. Understanding these errors and how they occur is a key part of research into treatments for these conditions.