Taking into account that millions of cell divisions occur per second in a healthy adult, and that each error in this process can generate consequences ranging from genetic diseases to the formation of different types of cancer, we can question how errors are not more frequent. In this scenario of permanent risk, having a kind of biological “emergency brake” that can be activated to interrupt an error detected in cell division is a valuable tool.
The good news is that it actually exists in our body and that is precisely what a team of researchers from the Institute of Health Research and Innovation at the University of Porto (i3S), led by Carlos Conde, identified in their most recent work: a molecular mechanism that functions as a true safety switch during cell division.
The study, published in the journal Current Biologyreveals how this mechanism regulates the activity of a protein essential to ensure that chromosomes are distributed accurately to new cells.
Cell division, also known as mitosis, is a critical process for the growth and maintenance of organisms. However, it is also a time of high risk: “If the genetic material is not distributed equally, the resulting cells acquire the wrong number of chromosomes (a condition called aneuploidy), which is a characteristic of almost all solid tumors and many developmental disorders.”, explains Carlos Conde, researcher at the group Cell Division & Genomic Stability at i3S and professor at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), cited in a statement.
According to the researcher, cells have a quality control system, called “Mythotic Checkpoint”. This system acts as a brake which suspends division until all chromosomes are properly attached to the cellular structure that separates them.
The challenge for scientists has been to understand how this brake is activated at the right time – that is, neither too early nor too late. Now, Carlos Conde’s team has now managed to identify a molecular switch that controls the PP1 enzyme, responsible for releasing the brake only when the correct division of the cell is ensured, thus giving the process a green light.
The results show that when this switch fails, the distribution of chromosomes becomes incorrect, leading to the accumulation of cells with genetic errors and tumor potential. “Fine-tuning PP1 activity is essential for cells to divide accurately and at the right time.”explains Carlos Conde.
The discovery opens new perspectives for biomedical research. According to the researcher, Understanding this mechanism could allow the development of targeted therapies that aim to “control cell division”, stopping the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells. Furthermore, this knowledge could be useful in regenerative medicine contexts, where strict control of cell division is essential for the success of treatments.
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