What nuclear and cytoplasmic changes would you expect to find in cancer cells?

Cells do not live forever. They either divide on two new cells through mitosis or die. Mitosis is a highly controlled process because if something goes wrong in mitosis, the healthy cells will divide uncontrollably. New cells, cancer cells, will also divide of control.

Cancer cells differ from normal cells:

- they are of irregular size and shape,

- their nucleus increases in size,

- shape and density of the nucleus are changed,

- chromatin is changed,

- nucleus segmentation often occurs,

- the cytoplasm is scarce,

- the cytoplasm changes its colour (either pale or intensely coloured)

- mRNA is accumulated in the cytoplasm,

- mitochondria decrease their volume,

- different organelles in the cytoplasm undergo changes.