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Recently the scholars from China and US shoot a film on the division and development of human beings' cells by the real-time photography technique, and then examine the chromosome number with the help of molecular biology method. Finally, they successfully trace the roots of abnormal-number chromosomes, proven to be the key clue to origination of cancer cells. Natural of October 13th issues this significant research result and corresponding commentary. The Prof. Shi Qinghua of USTC Life Science School and Dr. Randall King of Harvard University obtain this achievement cooperatively.
Cancer is the most threat to human health, for millions of people die of it annually. Scientific research illustrates that 75 percent cancers, such as large intestine, lung, breast cancers involve in the abnormal-number chromosomes. Moreover, the portion of these chromosomes to the normal ones has close connections to the worsening process and transforming risks of tumors. How do these abnormal chromosomes take shape is still unclear. This research discovers extraordinary chromosomes distribution during the cells division will results in double-core cells. Generally speaking, these cells cannot be divided, but if they restart, the cells with abnormal chromosomes will appear and finally the tumors form.
The editors of Natural consider it as a key achievement to unveil the causes of abnormal cells formation.
Prof. Shi Qinghua engages upon this research for a long time. He comes back to China sponsored by the CAS "Talents Project". Currently Prof. Shi is the charge of USTC Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at the Microscale. It is introduced by Prof. Shi Qinghua that the achievement is gained in vitro, so whether it is so in human and animals needs further research. |