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The scales of a discus fish at 20-times magnification.

Image by Dr. Havi Sarfaty, Israel Veterinary Association.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION!

Every Sunday, a question will be asked about one of the images from the past week. Be the first to answer correctly, and your blog will be promoted on Monday’s image post and Biocanvas’s main site!

Cells normally arrest growth and deteriorate over time in a process called senescence. HeLa cells, a cancer cell line, are strikingly different in that the cells are “immortal” (i.e., they never stop growing). How are HeLa cells able to escape senescence?

Answer: Telomerase, the enzyme that replenishes telomeres, is constitutively active in these cells.

180 notes
Sunday, October 21st, 2012
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    The scales of a discus fish at 20-times magnification. Image by Dr. Havi Sarfaty, Israel Veterinary Association.
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